The why, how of nationalisation

Johannesburg - ANC Youth League (ANCYL) spokesperson Floyd Shivambu on Sunday explained the organisation's detailed perspective on the nationalisation of mines in a weekend newspaper.

In an opinion piece published in City Press, Shivambu said the ANCYL's conceptualisation of the nationalisation of mines is that it should result in the "democratic government's ownership and control of mining activities, including exploration, extraction, production, processing, trading and beneficiation of mineral resources in South Africa".

According to Shivambu, nationalisation entails the following:

• "It should be accompanied by a thorough transformation of state-owned enterprises.
• "It can assume various forms: it can be 100% public ownership, or 51% or more owned by the state, or established through partnership arrangements with the private sector.
• "It will involve expropriation with or without compensation.
• "It is not meant to bail out indebted mining corporations."

Shivambu said the Freedom Charter will guide the programme of the nationalisation of mines, but that there are also other reasons why nationalisation should take place.

• "To increase the state's revenue and improve working conditions. Mine workers should be adequately paid and their work conditions improved.
• "As a basis for industrialisation to create more sustainable jobs for our people.
• "As a means to safeguard sovereignty.
• "As a basis to transform the accumulation path in the South African economy, so that the country is not overly dependent on the export of natural resources and the importing of finished goods and services.
• "To transform South Africa's unequal spatial development patterns so that all communities with economic potential are given necessary attention in terms of development."

Shivambu said for nationalisation to happen, the ANCYL's lekgotla proposed the following measures:

• "The state should establish a mining company to control the country's mineral resources and bring together all the country's mining interests. Importantly, that company should attract the best skills, expertise and knowledge.
• "The state should adopt an expropriation model, which will specify how the state should expropriate economic activities with or without compensation.
• "The state should amend the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) to include a clause compelling all mining corporations to enter into a partnership with the state for a licence."

Shivambu said the ANCYL will in the next few months engage alliance partners, business organisations and the Chamber of Mines in the programme towards "consolidation".

"We do not expect capitalists such as Nicky Oppenheimer to support nationalisation because he is protecting his ill-gotten wealth, currently worth billions of rands," Shivambu said.

"If greedy and unethical capitalists think that they have a hold on the ANC through Mines Minister Susan Shabangu, then they are misled. Shabangu is not the ANC and does not understand the ANC," Shivambu said in reference to Shabangu's statement at last week's Mining Indaba that nationalisation would not happen in her lifetime.

- Fin24.com