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Abstract
Since the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley in 1871 and the Witwatersrand goldfields in 1886, the mining industry has been a major contributor to the development of South Africa. The study examined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) published by corporate mining companies (mining houses) in South Africa in their Annual Reports, to ascertain the extent to which the exploitation of the non-renewable resources under their control was done in a sustainable manner according to criteria set out in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). It was clear in terms of a graphical representation that while mining houses still strongly highlighted economic performance, and the traditional health and safety (labour) issues, as well as environment and social issues, the newcomers human rights and responsibility for downstream products were ignored. This points to an inconsistent understanding of the idea of sustainability espoused by the GRI.
Notes
1. There are also other factors to consider, for example, thermodynamics, a sense-of-place, the opinions of people.
2. In my 2007 unpublished paper, ‘The Hierarchy of Causes’.
3. Barberton: ‘In the year 1884 Fred and Graham Barber discovered gold here and so triggered a gold rush’ Citation[6].
4. The oldest iron mines in neighbouring Swaziland date back 40,000 years Citation[8].
5. Few have been issued although ‘PPC (Pretoria Portland Cement) has to date obtained closure certificates for four of its operations, namely Loerie, Pienaar’s River, Baroe Dump and Baroe’ Citation[13].
6. The size of the world’s population may already be beyond what is sustainable; the number of people living below poverty data may point to this (or perhaps to a matter of unequal distribution).
7. The 2010 maize crop was 13 million tons, close to a record Citation[20].
8. In November, Johannesburg is a feast for the eye when jacarandas (originally from Brazil) which line the avenues, are in full bloom with their bunches of mauve-blue flowers or in December, when the Pride of India makes its pink display in neighbouring gardens.
9. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation.
10. Sustainable real cost savings are a measure of efficiency of operational performance.