S-Africa refuses industry push to prioritize US in mineral trade
(MENAFN) South Africa’s Mining Minister Gwede Mantashe has dismissed a proposal from leading business figures advocating for giving the US preferential access to Africa’s critical minerals, accusing them of prioritizing private interests, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
The plan, which included the slogan “make minerals great again,” was crafted by industry leaders such as Sibanye Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman and board member Rick Menell ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s May meeting with US President Donald Trump. Mantashe criticized the group for excluding the Mines Ministry and the Minerals Council South Africa from the discussion.
“They didn’t consult us,” Mantashe told Bloomberg, emphasizing that mining strategies must involve the ministry and the wider sector. He also rejected the phrase “make minerals great again,” saying it did not reflect South Africa’s language or stance.
Mantashe stressed that South Africa wants a comprehensive mineral strategy benefiting all partners, not one favoring only the US. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the government and industry over mining policy. South Africa, which holds over 90% of the world’s platinum group metals reserves, remains Africa’s leading mining economy despite recent declines in gold production.
Froneman defended the proposal as a way to mend strained Pretoria-Washington ties, suggesting South Africa could serve as a gateway for supplying critical minerals to the US. However, he criticized the government’s approach as hostile to foreign investment, arguing that Mantashe’s tough stance discourages US capital.
Relations between South Africa and the US have worsened since Trump’s presidency, with disputes over accusations of “white genocide,” opposition to an International Court of Justice case against Israel, and US-imposed tariffs. Mantashe has previously called for stopping mineral exports to the US in retaliation for cuts in American aid.
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