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[Ferro-Alloys.com] Mantashe urges Africa to act collectively on minerals amid rising global tensions
Mantashe calls for continental unity to protect Africas mineral sovereignty. South Africa advances critical minerals strategy and regulatory reform.
Disagreement with DRC highlights tensions between national and continental interests.
African countries must strengthen cooperation and speak with one voice as global competition for mineral resources intensifies, Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said at the opening of the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba in Cape Town.
Addressing delegates on Monday, Mantashe warned that heightened geopolitical tensions are increasingly driven by developed economies seeking greater control over the natural resources of developing nations. He said this trend poses a direct threat to the sovereignty of resource rich countries, many of which are located in Africa.
Against this backdrop, Mantashe said the theme of the 2026 Mining Indaba, Stronger Together Progress Through Partnerships, reflects a strategic necessity rather than a symbolic message. He urged African nations to act collectively, avoid undercutting one another, and pursue coordinated engagement with global powers and investors.
On the sidelines of the Indaba, Mantashe highlighted the African Ministers Critical Minerals Roundtable, hosted jointly with the African Union, as a platform to strengthen continental leadership on critical minerals. He said the objective is to deepen collaboration, accelerate responsible exploration and mining, and ensure Africa captures greater value from its mineral resources through industrialisation and value addition closer to production sites.
Turning to South Africa, Mantashe said a comprehensive study on the state of the mining sector has been completed alongside the development of the country’s Critical Minerals Strategy. He confirmed that the strategy is now being implemented and has helped position both South Africa and the continent to assert greater control over strategic resources, in line with commitments reflected in the G20 declaration.
He also reaffirmed government’s commitment to regulatory reform aimed at creating a more certain, predictable and transparent framework that attracts investment while ensuring equitable sharing of benefits. Addressing the removal of Black Economic Empowerment participation requirements at the prospecting stage, Mantashe said the change is a pragmatic response to the high-risk nature of early exploration and is intended to stimulate exploration activity rather than dilute transformation objectives.
According to the Minister, early signs of recovery are emerging in the sector, with at least five mines opening operations. Between February 2025 and January 2026, the department granted 358 prospecting rights and 32 mining rights, reflecting continued investor confidence in South Africa as a mining destination.
The call for continental unity was underscored by a public disagreement between Mantashe and Democratic Republic of Congo mining minister Louis Watum Kabamba over the DRC’s critical minerals agreement with the United States. Mantashe questioned whether the deal served Africa’s broader interests, arguing that bilateral arrangements risk enabling a divide and conquer approach by global powers.
Kabamba defended the agreement, saying it serves the DRC’s national interest by diversifying partnerships and reducing reliance on a single dominant buyer. He maintained that the deal was not one sided and that the country had not surrendered its resources without benefit.
Mantashe responded that while national interests are important, Africa’s long-term strength lies in coordinated action. He warned that without continental alignment; African countries risk being drawn into a race to the bottom as global demand for critical minerals accelerates and competition over supply chains intensifies.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
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