WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Reshaping the future of South Africa's mineral resources Women in Leadership: Dr Nobuhle Nkabane
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he Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has published an exploration strategy, which is expected to increase exploration investment in South Africa significantly. The country has long been home to significant mineral deposits and has been a leading mining jurisdiction for years, but this status has been gradually waning. The new strategy looks to reshape the sector – which accounts for more than half a million jobs – and focus on further mineral exploration that will increase the sector's economic potential. A STRATEGY BUILT ON INCREASING INVESTMENT The strategy aims to attract $900-million in investment in the exploration of the country's mineral
wealth by removing bottlenecks, developing resource-mapping technology and diversifying the country's mining sector beyond precious metals. The department will broaden its focus to include metals used in electric vehicles, battery storage, and minerals used in clean technologies. This will grow South Africa's share of global exploration investment from less than 1% to 5% in the next five years. Failure to welcome mineral exploration could put further pressure on the South African economy, Mineral Resources and Energy Deputy Minister Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane has cautioned. Dr. Nkabane was appointed
30 | Public Sector Leaders | May 2022
as Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy on 5 August 2021. She has served as a member of parliament and has a strong background in public sector management. Dr. Nkabane has been a lobbyist for transformation in mining, hoping to reverse the exclusion and discrimination of women in the sector through empowerment strategies. Dr. Nkabane added that geopolitical events have an impact on the importation of materials such as oil, often hitting the pocket of South Africans. Increasing mineral exploration in South Africa could see more local production of oil and gas, reducing South Africa's dependency on imports. The department's exploration strategy looks equally at increasing opportunities while also attending
