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Shabangu calls for social responsibility in the mining sector

8 February 2011

Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu has called for social responsibility in the mining sector during her keynote speech to delegates attending the mining indaba in Cape Town.

“We need to unlock the buoyancy of our sector but at the same time cater for our ordinary citizens. As we mine under the earth, there is a social responsibility above it,” she said.

Shabangu hailed the example of Anglo American in her speech, saying other mining companies need to emulate chairwoman Cynthia Carroll and her team.

On Monday, Carroll announced a “ground breaking multibillion-rand black economic empowerment deal” for the world’s largest platinum producer.

It will incorporate communities near its operations and labour sending areas. The deal will include about 1%-2% of market capitalisation and would be a B-BBEE transaction designed to promote long-term sustainable development in host communities and key labour-providing areas that were not benefiting from the company’s extensive BEE programme.

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