Transforming Mining

Smart partnerships key to sustaining growth

- By Nina Yose

Economic transformation within the mining sector remains central to South Africa's longterm growth and industrial development.

Mining has historically underpinned the country's economy for more than a century and continues to play a material role in national output, national revenue exports and employment. In 2024, the mining sector contributed 6.0% of South Africa's nominal GDP, equating to R442.7 billion, while accounting for 45% of total merchandise exports and supporting over 470,000 direct jobs.

While mining's share of GDP has declined from historical peaks, its strategic importance has evolved rather than diminished. The sector is increasingly shaped by advances in digitalisation, artificial intelligence and industrial automation, which are transforming productivity, safety and environmental performance. At the same time, mining has become more deeply embedded in the broader economy through supplychain linkages with manufacturing, energy, logistics and technologydriven industries.

This evolution reflects a fundamental reality: modern economies are inseparable from mining. Everyday technologies from mobile devices and data centres to electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure depend on a steady supply of critical minerals. As a result, global demand for minerals such as manganese, copper, platinum group metals, cobalt, nickel and graphite has accelerated, driven in part by the global energy transition, digitalisation and growth in advanced manufacturing.

These shifts present substantial opportunities for growth and value creation. However, they also highlight the urgency of ensuring that the benefits of mining are more broadly shared.