South Africa’s Minister of Trade and Industry Mandisi Mpahlwa on Friday reiterated concerns over African countries relying too heavily on mining activities for growth, while failing to add value to their mined products.

“As Africans, we must be aware of the potential threats that can emanate from relying on extractive industries for our growth,” he stated, addressing the South Africa – Democratic Republic of Congo business forum, in Cape Town. “But we must also not lose the opportunity of using the current interest to diversify our product base to higher value adding products.”

“In other words, why must someone make razor blades from our iron-ore and sell it back to us at 100 times the price of the raw materials?” Mpahlwa questioned.

“In developing high-value-added industrial activities, I think we will need each other as partners, which will allow us the benefit of a stronger position to ensure that even as we are trading our non-renewable energy resources, that in the long term, our economies will be strong and diverse enough to secure a bright future for all,” he concluded.

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