UASA Media Release: 06 February 2023
Statement by Abigail Moyo, spokesperson of the trade union UASA:
The 2023 Mining Indaba, the year’s biggest mining event, kicked off today in Cape Town under the theme ‘Unlocking African Mining Investment: Stability, Security, and Supply’.
UASA is pleased to be part of this powerhouse event through its divisional manager (minerals resources), Franz Stehring, who the IndustriALL Global Union invited as a discussion panellist. UASA is affiliated with the IndustriALL Global Union.
The Mining Indaba senior manager for communications strategy, Laura Cornish, says Covid-19 indeed changed the way mining companies operate, but it was not all bad news. “The pandemic pushed companies to connect and interact in a digital environment more frequently and effectively, but it also saw mining businesses look to embrace digital technologies at an operational level. This was of interest for years but never before a priority,” she said.
Cornish also emphasises the importance of maintaining the Mining Indaba’s drive to encourage investment into the African mining sector.
“This year, we will successfully bring together a large contingency of ministers and ministers’ representatives for our Ministerial Symposium and Intergovernmental Summit to discuss country potential and investment. Already confirmed for the event are high-level ministers from South Africa, Ethiopia, Senegal, South Sudan, Nigeria, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia.
UASA’s Stehring will participate in a panel discussion, ‘A Conversation with the Unions Beyond climate change, what are the other drivers of the impacts on the world of work in the current transition underway and trade union proposals for a mitigation pathway’.
Discussion points are
What are the other drivers of the impacts on the world of work in the current transition?
What impacts are generated by the transition?
What are the policy provisions, public and private, to mitigate the impacts?
Is there alignment between company mining practices on these impacts and mitigation with trade union expectations?
UASA believes the Mining Indaba is vital to growth and sustainability in mining, one of the most significant sectors in South Africa and the continent. Delegates at the Mining Indaba will also hear from mining companies’ top executives, including Anglo American, Newmont, Rio Tinto, Exxaro, Minerals Council South Africa, Women in Mining (UK and SA) ERG, ICMM JOGMEC, Vedanta and B2Gold.
For further enquiries or to set up a personal interview, contact Abigail Moyo at 065 170 0162.