Thank you, Chairperson. Ideally, we should all be proud of being citizens of a country so rich in mineral resources. The country is a leading supplier of a variety of minerals and mineral products that are exported to 87 countries. Each year, approximately 55 different minerals are produced in more than 700 mines, with gold, platinum, coal and diamonds dominating exports and revenue earnings. There are also important deposits of iron and copper.
Unfortunately, the legacy of colonisation and apartheid has created extremely poor sections in our society who only know that we have mineral resources because one or more members of that part of society have been employed in the mines. They live in dire poverty. This is even sadder if you consider that 17 years after democracy the effect of the richness of our soil has not been felt by the masses. Our people are still trapped in despicable poverty and the level of economic inequality is on the rise. Wealth is still retained in the hands of the few, and we have new terms now, like "black diamonds", referring to the exclusive class that has access to economic wealth, whilst the majority are trapped in poverty.
Often, when talking about our minerals, we have been made to believe that the problem is still with the white minorities' owning our minerals, and that transformation has been slow or been resisted on this front. This is true in many respects. However, more and more of the black elite have found their way into the mining industry. If media reports are anything to go by, most of this elite are associated in some way with the ruling party. The exploitation still continues.
I am sure we have all read about the Aurora Mine and the gross violations of human rights committed against the employees. In the light of this I would like to urge the department that, as much as they must seriously and consistently pursue fair distribution of wealth and transformation in the sector, other questions also need to be investigated.
How are we making sure that these processes are not just a replacement of skin colour, where the rich remain rich but with a mochachocca skin pigment? The poor remain extremely poor! How is this department strategically placed to address economic equality?
On a lighter but still important note, it was pleasing to read the message from the Minister in the annual report in particular. [Interjections.] He is at home, resting! [Time expired.]