Resource, Energy and Infrastructure

The African mining industry faces a defining moment. The demand for critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, and rare earths continues to surge as economies pivot toward decarbonisation and renewable energy sources.

In the late '80s, Anglo American pioneered an innovative supplier development model in South Africa. Through a suite of enterprise funds known as Zimele, the mining giant provided financial support to aspiring entrepreneurs from historically disadvantaged communities, leveraging its sector expertise and procurement networks as catalysts for fostering SME growth and driving broader, socially responsible economic development.

The world is rewriting its rulebook. It’s no longer just about what you produce but how you produce it. For resource-rich regions like Africa, the implications are profound: the value of its vast reserves of critical minerals is now tied not only to their abundance but also to the ethical and sustainable frameworks governing their extraction and processing.

Are South Africans too pessimistic and are they missing some positive signals from the Debt markets? While domestic equity markets have struggled in recent years, the debt markets are demonstrating robustness, innovation and continue to attract demand in the global marketplace.

Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) investments coupled with a focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks, could provide a powerful combination for developing local manufacturing capacity to support the African mining and resources sector.

African-based mining and resource companies which have invested in renewable energy infrastructure over the last few years are not only reaping the benefits through access to cheaper power but also achieving sustainability goals identified by stakeholders including lenders looking to fund expansion.