COMMENT
A NEW HOPE
2018
is barely a
couple of
months
old and
already the news has been full of attention-
grabbing headlines. From newly-elected
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech
at the World Economic Forum meeting
in Davos, Switzerland in January, to the
postponement of the State of the Nation
Address and talks between Ramaphosa
and Jacob Zuma regarding the latter’s
potential early exit from the South African
presidency; the past few months have
certainly been interesting.
And then there is the prospect of Cape
Town achieving the dubious honour of
being the first major city in the world to run
out of water.
Against this backdrop, the 2018 Investing
in African Mining Indaba took place
in Cape Town in February, and despite
Minister Zwane avoiding any mention of
the Mining Charter in his opening speech
(another item that made the headlines, and
had people debating the suitability of an
opening speech even mentioning something
of this magnitude), the overall feeling
during the event was of cautious optimism.
As mining companies look to find
the best ways to incorporate technology
and innovation into the sector to build
sustainable operations over the long term,
there seems to be a burgeoning hope that
the worst might be over (for now, at least).
(Of course, not even a week after the
Indaba wrapped up, South African politics
was once again in the spotlight, as the
National Executive Committee met to
discuss whether President Jacob Zuma
would remain in office or be recalled.
The outcome of this situation will have a
measurable effect on the country’s economy
and mining sector, but for now there is little
we can do but wait.)
And since 2018 is apparently the year
for industry events, with both bauma
CONEXPO AFRICA (in March) and
Electra Mining (in September) also taking
place this year, we reached out to exhibitors
who will participate in the former to find
out their take on the state of the mining and
construction markets in southern Africa.
Here again, the feeling is one of general,
if somewhat cautious, optimism. Despite
whatever might be happening on the
political front, a slow but steady increase
in investment and infrastructure projects
on the African continent is good news for
the mining industry in general, and the
quarrying sector, in particular.
Overall, while speaking in certainties
should be avoided when it comes to politics
– anywhere, not just in South Africa – 2018
seems to be off to a somewhat positive start.
Hopefully, no matter what happens in the
president’s office, the industry’s current
optimism will carry through and bear out
over the next 10 months.
Robyn Grimsley - Editor
[email protected]
QUARRY SA | MARCH/APRIL 2018 _ 1