The plant was officially opened on Monday (18/11) by Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe, Premier Kagiso Mokgosi, Matlosana Mayor Fikile Mahlope, and former acting Premier Nono Maloyi.

China African Precious Metals bought the plant in 2022, and completed renovations worth more than R200 million this year, which led to the plant’s official reopening. It forms part of the company’s R2 billion investment in the Orkney activities.

The government is focused on “investing in our people, however, problems brought by the mining sector should be confronted and dealt with,” said Mokgosi.

“This investment will create close to 4,000 work opportunities for locals and is a culmination of the government’s investment initiatives aimed at addressing the scourge of unemployment and poverty in the province.

“These investment commitments come at a time when the province has recorded 69,000 job opportunities in the third quarter of 2024,” he said.

The opening of the plant comes amid ongoing rescue efforts at the Stilfontein mine shaft where a court recently mandated that the shaft be reopened to allow trapped illegal miners to exit safely.

Matlosana, which comprises Klerksdorp, Orkney, and Stilfontein, is infiltrated with illegal mining. “What is happening in Stilfontein is a crime and has to be treated as such,” said Mantashe.

“Illegal mining is as bad as cash heists. It is an attack on the economy of the country.”

A delegation of business people from the Henan province of China, led by the ambassador, will be meeting on Thursday, 28 November, to engage in various investment opportunities in mining, tourism, and agriculture in North West, said Mokgosi.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame cg