Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal held a much anticipated working group session on Monday 21 September 2009 at the Makaranga Garden Loge in Kloof, with various captains of the KwaZulu-Natal coal mining industry attending. The aim of the working session was to unpack challenges faced by the coal mining industry and to forge a way forward to resolve these issues with working solutions.
Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal emphasised the purposes and objectives of the day’s session and highlighted the organisation’s role in the industry thus far. The organisation conducted the first mineral scan for the Province in 2007. This report opened doors for many mining permit applications.
Topics of discussion ranged from the current industry perspective in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, challenges facing the industry currently, securing provincial export allocation at the Richards Bay Coal Terminal for KZN, market opportunities for KZN coal and anthracite, the re-opening of the Ngangane power station in Newcastle and its impact on the coal industry to the establishment of the KwaZulu-Natal Collieries Association.
The key speakers included Dr Ray Ngcobo, Deputy Director General, Department of Economic Development and Tourism; Ms Nqobile Njoko, Regional Manager, Department of Mineral Resources; Mr Robert Needham, Director, Foundation for Sustainable Mining; Mr Lungani Kunene, Chairman, Umsobomvu Coal; Mr Bill Lamont, uMhlatuze Coal and Mr Malcolm Pryde, Managing Director, Future Coal.
“Industry and government need to look into anthracite beneficiation and to also explore ways to increase liquidity for exploration for junior mining activities” said Mbulelo Clive Khoza, Project Manager: Mining, Agriculture, Agro-processing and Rural Development, Trade and Investment KZN.
“The working group is a platform for creative problem solving in the provincial mining sector”, said Zamo Gwala, Chief Executive Officer, Trade and Investment KZN. “This sector was not well represented at the Economic Summit held on 6 & 7 August 2009, so we need to assist by means of government intervention”.
The day concluded with a resolution to develop a guide for provincial government as to how best implement the coal mining industry. This will be driven by the newly formed KwaZulu-Natal collieries association cluster.
For more information about investing in coal mining in KwaZulu-Natal contact
Perusha Naicker
Communications Officer
Tel: +27 31 368 9600
Mobile: +27 83 778 5032
Fax: +27 86 500 9862
Email: perusha@tikzn.co.za
