Mantashe chides young miners for not having patience

Mineral resources & energy minister Gwede Mantashe says the government is willing to assist young and black emerging miners, but they should not expect “quick cash handouts”.

He criticised entrepreneurs for not being patient and wanting overnight success.  

“You will never run your business if you are assisted by everybody except yourself. In every business you put your skin in the fire. If you do that, you will succeed as a business person. Then the state will assist you one way or the other,” the minister said.

Mantashe was addressing a dialogue on Wednesday hosted by the SA Youth Economic Council. The dialogue is aimed at seeking interventions on how to include young emerging miners and create access in the industry, while making the country a favourable destination for mining investments.

“Don’t just ask what government will do to help, tell us that this is what you do, show us how you have put your skin in the fire, and the sacrifice involved. Invest in your business, take your time, build it brick by brick, then the business is going to be sustainable.”

Mantashe warned young people about not being willing to wait.

“Jack Ma [the Chinese business magnate] failed for 19 years, and succeeded in the 19th year. In SA, we have no patience, we want quick cash, we want to succeed immediately.”

He said his department had interventions in place to offer support.

“The department does have assistance for emerging miners. But it should not be in the form of quick cash. It should be assistance that goes to good intentions of making a successful business.”

The minister also clarified his view on the just transition towards renewable energy, saying the move from coal should be done gradually.

“We must not rush to move away from coal. The idea of an ‘accelerated exit’ from coal must be watched. The term accelerated must be cancelled. The transition must be calculated, we must be systematic, we must move step by step, and be thoughtful about what we are going to do.”

Mantashe said the very idea of a ‘just transition’ was self-explanatory, and meant justice had to be done.

“There are communities in mining towns that depend on the employment created by those mines, we need to do justice to them in this transition that we speak of.”