Abstract
For decades South Africa's mining sector has been profiteering while neglecting mining communities' development needs. Most of these communities now have social problems. Recently, forces outside the sector – globalisation, the government, the communities themselves – have pressured the mining organisations to become corporate citizens; that is, to take on social responsibilities and work towards sustainable development in their areas. However, this study revealed a gap between policy and practice: social responsibility and real sustainable development do not reach the communities. This article suggests some critical underlying factors that must be dealt with to close this gap: acculturation stress, power relationships, communication and priorities, and identifying who takes responsibility for various facets of development. The article is based on a study of how stakeholders view community development needs. It makes two main recommendations: a process approach to corporate social responsibility and development rather than ‘quick fixes’, and proper community engagement initiatives.
Notes
This article is based on a paper presented at the International Conference on Engaging Communities, 14–17 August 2005, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Queensland, Australia.