Business Report writes that trade union Solidarity has criticised Mineral Resources Minister Mosebezeni Zwane's opening address at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Monday, saying it failed to boost investor confidence.  

Zwane announced that the much anticipated Mining Charter draft would be published in March and he expected the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Act to be finalised by June.  However, Solidarity has expressed concern about the various issues still plaguing the draft, such as questions around Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment, which the union strongly opposes.  Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis said it did not make sense for Zwane to say the country’s mining industry was open for business, yet not enough was being done by the government to ensure an investor friendly environment.  He added that it was high time “to replace the government’s ideological impairment with reality.”

• Read this report by Zintle Mahlati in full at Business Report
• Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page