Light at the end of the 2021 tunnel
INTRODUCTION
As the sun sets on 2021 , we reflect on a year of ‘ the good , the bad and the downright ugly ’ with mixed emotions . Having emerged from 2020 with a little more knowledge around ways to manage Covid-19 – and buoyed by the mining industry ’ s successes despite the pandemic – we thought 2021 could only usher in improvements on what was experienced in 2020 . We were mistaken .
The ‘ bad ’ in 2021 was epitomised by the second and third waves of the pandemic that took Africa into the new year and hit us mid-year again . Just when we thought we were recovering , the reality of Covid-19 would once again take hold , while we waited in earnest for vaccinations and society vaccination by-in .
The ‘ ugly ’ then hit South Africa , home of African Mining Suppliers Directory in July 2021 . The country was plagued by political and social unrest , which tipped the scales with the worst orchestrated violence in South Africa since the 1990s . Horror ensued with eight days of looting and unrest until finally President Ramaphosa woke from slumber and called in the troops to restore order , but not without the help of the man in the street who simply put his foot down and said , “ This far and no further !” South Africans came together , rising above their differences , and united for the greater good of the country and did their bit to restore sanity .
We then found ourselves in yet another crisis in Quarter four , with unprecedented stage-4 Eskom load-shedding affecting an already ailing economy . The Mining Minerals Council South Africa has highlighted that the power crisis not only negatively affects the mining industry but the entire economy at a time when energy security is critical to attract investment , for economic growth and job creation to stabilise government debt and reduce the fiscal deficit in South Africa .
Let ’ s just say that 2021 has most certainly not been a walk in the park , but thankfully , the ‘ good ’, as always , overrides and supersedes the negative . The ‘ good ’ in 2021 is encapsulated in one statement made in the PwC ’ s 18 th
Annual review of the top 40 Mining companies globally , “ Net profit in the sector was up 15 %, cash on hand rose 40 %, and market capitalisation rose by nearly two-thirds to USD1.46-trillion ”.
Africa most certainly played its role in these successes . South Africa stands out with total market capitalisation increasing in 2021 to R1 470-billion from R1 047-billion . This is a R423-million ( 408 %) year-on-year ( YoY ) increase from 2020 , mainly attributable to the increase in market capitalisation of companies within the PGMs sectors . Per the PwC ’ s 13th edition , the SA Mine , “ Net profit grew to R274-billion , which represents a 285 % increase , because of the increased commodity prices and improved production after mines largely returned to pre-Covid-19 production levels .”
We at Interact Media Defined have experienced this positivity directly in that our Mining and Technical Exhibitions ( MTE ) was able to follow through with a number of shows in the latter quarter of 2021 . The Industry proved its hunger for face-to-face interaction after the debilitating lockdowns in the high attendance levels and successes of the travelling expos run with strict Covid-19 protocols .
Similarly , the 2022 African Mining Suppliers Directory has grown from a publication of 96 pages last year , to 144 pages , with an increase in readership stats from 13 134 ( Q3 2020 – abc ) to 23 748 going into 2021 . We wish to thank the industry for their continued support in bringing valuable information to the Mining Industry at large .
As we emerge from the dark tunnel , there is light . Is it yet another train , is it private power generation , or is it simply enlightenment ? We hope for the latter . It is time to draw from the positives and the learnings after all the challenges , and face what comes with fortitude and resilience , together . Let the order of the day be smart mining – sustainably , protecting our environment , and serving our communities .
www . africanmining . co . za • www . mining . co . za • www . MTEexpos . co . za AFRICAN MINING SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY 2022 • 3