Corporate governance advocacy foundation Bench Marks Foundation chief researcher David van Wyk has said there is a gap in the Mining Qualifications Authority's (MQA's) training in terms of addressing how to deal with mine closures and dying mining towns.

Speaking at the at the 2023 Annual Consultative Conference and Inaugural mining Skills Lekgotla, in Boksburg, on November 24, he said there was a need to plan for concurrent and post mining economies.

He suggested that the MQA should consider how to assist in the repurposing of old mines and mine infrastructure such as offices, workshops, training facilities, sport and recreation facilities, and electricity substations, with a view to job creation and sustaining and reviving mining towns.

He pointed out that it was necessary to determine what role local government should play in mine closures and beyond, as well as how local government in mining towns and communities could be strengthened to achieve a better outcome.

Van Wyk added that there was likewise a need to create linkages between unions and communities.

He also pointed to the need for infrastructure and skills audits in mining towns to form the foundation for establishing community cooperatives and business units to better enable communities able to cope with mine closure through repurposing infrastructure, thereby ensuring community sustainability.

“Such small business units can be in artisanal mining and mineral beneficiation,” he explained.

Van Wyk pointed out that about 34 000 mineworkers had recently been retrenched. Since they only have skills in mining, while there is a concurrent lack of job opportunities in labour-sending areas, many of these workers may join illegal mining outfits and occupy abandoned mines.

“If mines are repurposed in a just transition to post mining economics, many of these jobs can be retained,” he explained, noting the need for economic development in labour-sending areas.

Van Wyk noted that innovation was key to achieving this.

“Removal of asbestos roofs in townships in mining towns should see such roofs replaced with roofs with solar panels, which, using mining substations in the vicinity, can feed electricity into the national grid. Indigent households can then generate an income from selling electricity back into the grid,” he said.

Van Wyk noted that mines are leading the transition to solar power nationally. However, these solar projects tend to exclude rather than involve communities.

“This is an opportunity to demonstrate commitment to a just transition in energy,” he said.

He noted that old mines could also contribute to energy generation by being repurposed to produce geothermal energy, solar energy, and gravitational energy.

Van Wyk also criticised labour broking and subcontracting practices, which he said leads to poor health and safety and makes the training of workers more difficult. Overall, this undermines mine health and safety.

“At Bench Marks, we train community monitors to monitor the relationship between the mine and the community, centre and the mine and the environment. The must produce regular reports. This could help to be pre-emptive of disasters and mitigate conflict,” Van Wyk said.