Publications
Partners
Cape Town - The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) on Tuesday accused Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu of being "misleading" when she gave assurances on nationalisation at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town.
The ANCYL said it was disappointed by her speech, and that for her to "once again" give assurances to the mining sector that nationalisation was not an option was "not only misleading, but goes against the essence of what the ANC national general council resolved".
It has strongly criticised Shabangu in the past for reiterating that nationalisation was not SA policy.
The league called on the ANC "to exercise maximum discipline on people who go around spreading misleading messages that altogether diminishes the value of vital ANC gatherings".
"Instead of explaining the ANC process on the nationalisation of mines, Shabangu is making false assurances and altogether making the ANC process to be undermined," it said.
The league also berated what it called "the rantings" of Anglo American CEO Cynthia Carrol.
Carrol was "not a member of the ANC and knows nothing about what is happening in the organisation, so she should stay away from conclusively speaking about ANC policy direction", the league said.
The ANCYL advised her to "concentrate on improving Anglo American's human and workers' rights record before the state takes ownership of the mines".
The league attempted to explain what would take place at the ANC policy and national conferences in 2012 with regard to the nationalisation of the mining industry.
'No jobs from nationalisation'
"The NEC (National Executive Council) of the ANC has put up a reference team of leaders of the ANC and youth league to, among other things, oversee the work that should be done by the ANC and researchers as instructed by the ANC national general council, in particular research, study tours and discussions."
The cabinet has already resolved to expedite the establishment of a state-owned mining company, the ANCYL noted.
The league said that stakeholders in mining and the people of SA should "ignore" Shabangu, "because she previously made almost similar remarks, but did not say anything in the ANC commission that was tasked with discussing the nationalisation of mines in September 2010".
Earlier on Tuesday, Shabangu told delegates at the Mining Indaba that the socioeconomic plight of Africa hinged on the responsible development of its mineral endowment.
She reiterated that nationalisation was "not currently policy".
She also said that nationalisation would mean South Africa missing out on a global commodities boom, just as it did for most of the last decade when prices soared and mining in countries such as China, Brazil and India posted huge growth, while the industry stagnated in South Africa.
"Is nationalisation going to give us jobs? No. We have got to make sure that we become responsible and we attract more investments, because we do need investments in South Africa," she told a news conference.
In her address, Carrol warned that nationalisation would be "the road to ruin" and a path that should not be followed in the South African mining industry.
