So says the Business Day today. Tawana Resources may dismiss (fire is a harsh word) South African workers at the end of this month because of the delay in getting their mining permit. Minister of Mineral and Energy, Buyelwa Sonjica, commented that the intention to dismiss workers “is pure blackmail and totally unacceptable”.
Hold on a minute here, if the government is going to delay in processing applications then they must accept the consequences of this delay. And it would be really nice if they took responsibility for the consequences too. Businesses cannot afford to pay staff who are not working because of delays like this - they have to make a plan.
Admittedly we don't have all the facts, it is possible that Tawana has left their search for a black partner to the last minute and maybe they are to blame. But the DME is notorious for its delays and it has faced legal action because it is dragging its feet.
BHP Billiton’s Ingwe went to court before its prospecting rights were granted earlier this month.
The more I look at this issue the more elusive the solution becomes. There is no doubt that more of the natural resources must find their way into black hands, But by taking a hard stand the government is threatening the livelihood of many people. And where do these people go when they don't have a job - to Trevor Manuel.
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