Mining Charter Compliance: Is government conveniently shifting the goal posts?

This must be the most trying times to mining companies in South Africa. As if the effects of record-low prices on their operations were not enough, confusion over mining charter compliance (or non-compliance) with the black ownership requirement has worsened their woes.
Unwittingly the Chamber of Mines (CoM)has found itself in a conflict with the Department of Mineral Resources over the compliance of its members with the Mining Charter’s black ownership requirement.
The COM claims that it has ample evidence to suggest that its members – who comprise 90% of the industry – have more than complied. On the other hand, the DMR insists that the mining companies are way behind the required threshold.
The COM claims the DMR has conveniently removed the nonchamber component to dilute the statistics. As one mining company CEO confided to Transform SA Online during  the Black Industrialist Indaba which was held in May in Midrand, Johannesburg: “The uncertainty in business is worsened by the uncertainty in policy…You can’t just change the rules when it’s convenient for you.”