Women must be encouraged and supported to play a greater role in Africa’s mining industries, states Zambian Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma.

The Minister, who was speaking at the Alternative Mining Indaba, in Cape Town, last month, said that one of the greatest constraints women faced when entering the industry was securing financing.

He highlighted that this was often the result of men’s “negative, sexist” attitudes towards women, epitomised by the belief that women should not be involved in the sector.

However, Yaluma asserted that, in Zambia, government was of the “firm view” that women must have a meaningful stake in the sector, which was why it was creating programmes and initiatives to assist women in acquiring the knowledge, expertise and finance to enter the industry.

“I have directed the Zambian Ministry of Mining to give priority to female mining licence applicants,” he stated.

Additionally, Yaluma highlighted that near-mine communities needed to be properly consulted on all matters relating to the development and operation of mines in the areas in which they live and that they also had to receive “greater benefits” from these operations.

He remarked that there were “undoubtedly many shady deals” and corrupt agreements struck between governments and mining companies that had occurred (and continue to occur) throughout Africa to the detriment of near-mine communities.

“This often results in communities being displaced and receiving little or no compensation. These sorts of corrupt practices are never acceptable and must be vigorously opposed at all costs,” Yaluma emphasised.

he Minister stressed that African governments had to strive to ensure that maximum benefit was derived from natural resources by developing legislation, programmes and infrastructure to ensure full downstream and upstream beneficiation of mineral commodities.