Department of trade and industry (DTI)

STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP REPORT

This is a report on the stakeholder workshop that was held on the 2nd of June 2016 regarding
the Blyvooruitzicht Gold Mine that has been under provisional liquidation since 2013. The
mine has been closed, due to this closure the surrounding community and former employee
have had a number of difficulties. The aim of the meeting was to bring all interested and
affected parties to the table, with aim of finding a solution to these difficulties. The name of
our organization is the Department of trade and industry DTI and we were part of the
workshop. We are a National Government department with the mandate of developing the
South Africa economy, facilitating investment and exports and supporting the transformation
of all parts of the South African economy to include black people and women.

Our objectives are:

1. Legislative programmes- The Company act

2. The development, co-ordination and implementation of development strategies,
3. The provisional direct financial support- The manufacturing investment programme
incubators
4. Advocacy activities- Workshops, seminars and meetings with firms, Industrial
empowerment

Our Non negotiables

1. as part of our integrated strategy on the promotion of entrepreneurship and small

enterprises. We support the creation of Small Medium and micro Enterprises
(SMME’s) which include informal sector enterprises.

2. from the Freedom Charter

All industry and trade shall be controlled to assist the well-being of the people; all
people shall have equal right to trade where they choose

3. from the constitution

Every person shall have the right freely to engage in economic activity and to pursue
a live hood anywhere in national territory

Our Position

1. In support of illegal mining (ASM) which is a form of small enterprise we feel it is

inappropriate to eradicate these illegal activities at this stage of the South African
development. As long as there are significant poverty, unemployment, high inequality
and uneven enforcement of legislation, laws and regulations
 2. There is a need to create conditions for Sustainable livelihoods while improving
negative impacts on society.
3. Legislation should go hand in hand with capacity building and economic
empowerment
4. Illegal mining has both a economic and social impact. These activities provide
economic benefits to the very poor and can be an important form of sustainable live
hoods development
5. In order to avoid upset to the economy a degree of regulation is required. But these
regulations must be carefully calibrated so as to not restrict economic activity or
create a situation of unenforceable regulations. Majors should be taken to avoid red
tape regulations
6. As the department our starting point however needs to be how do we protect the right
of poor people to engage in economic activity, support their families, pay school fees
and the like, without unduly exposing them as workers to health and others dangers.
7. We support the creation of SMME’s which include informal sector enterprises. ASM
is practised all over the globe. As technology develops safer and more efficient ASM
techniques may/will emerge.

Following the presentations we saw the issue from various perspectives and we still maintain
our stance of supporting ASM activities in the form of SMME’S. We believe that legalising
these activities will add to the economy since they will be documented. There will also be an
improvement in the standard of living for the community and the unemployed. During the
work shop we identified a number of Government departments that we could liaise with in
the process of formalising ASM.

In conclusion it was noticed that the current South African policies lack appropriate measures
to deal with this type of issue (illegal mining).

Compiled by:

Malungisa Khumalo

Sizwe Khoza

Kumba Mutono