Mining revenues key to social reform, says Zambian President

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema says local communities cannot be excluded from talks of scaling up the continent’s mining industry.

Hichilema is among delegates at the annual Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Monday, where the state of the industry is again under the spotlight.

His participation at this year’s edition comes at a time when Zambia doubles down on its reform agenda—including efforts to improve regulatory certainty and the use of game-changing mining technologies to unlock long-term growth.

South Africa is also in a race to leverage its critical minerals for growth.

Hichilema says mining companies should not only chase stronger bottom lines, calling on industry leaders to invest in community development as well.

“It's a partnership, so that it can deliver returns to shareholders, to stakeholders, other stakeholders, suppliers of goods and services, but also to an ordinary citizen.”

He says the mining industry’s contribution to the fiscus is key to government’s ability to see through social programmes.

“The single largest taxpayer in our country is a mine called First Quantum, and through that, we are able to support our programs, investing in education, and we brought back 2.3 million children in school who were out of school before we took office. And where did we get some of that money? From the mining revenues.”

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