CAPE TOWN - The Minister of Mineral Resources, Mosebenzi Zwane has encouraged junior mining companies to always be vocal about the funding assistance issue so that the affected authorities will take action.
He was speaking to the media on day 1 of the Investing in African Mining Indaba currently underway in Cape Town.
This three-day Indaba sees African mining authorities, major and junior mining companies and several forums representing different segments of the mining sector under the same roof.
Junior miners feel that there's still a vacuum between the department of mineral resources and the department of trade and industry when companies are seeking investment related assistance.
A representative of the junior mining companies, Sifiso Nkosi revealed that, as junior mining companies, they have questioned synergy and fluidity between the aforementioned departments.
Nkosi said that one would be sent from pillar to post when they require useful business information and something has to be done.
During the session, Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, advised that government is willing to assist emerging companies of all sectors in the country.
Davies said that Invest SA was established to eliminate red-tape for companies with investment-related issues.
Zwane added that the mining charter deals adequately with the issue of funding new entrants in the sector.
He said he was happy with the gender transformation in the mining sector and noted that the number of women-owned junior mining companies had increased.
Minister Zwane will conduct a discussion today with funding managers.
Meanwhile, the Alternative Mining Indaba is also here in Cape Town. The indaba is made up of speakers from civic organisations, faith-based organisations, the private sector and government representatives, this conference, however, seeks to find ways of a 'just mining' sector for South Africa.
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