The introduction of the Minerals Council South Africa provides the struggling South African mining industry with a chance to establish an important new beginning.

Proper leadership has the potential to set South Africa on an upward course under the growing realisation that, if the country strengthens its mining sector, it strengthens the economy as a whole.

Fortunately, wonderful leadership is at hand in the form of KwaZulu-Natal-born and US-educated Mxolisi Donald Mbuyisa Mgojo, who was unanimously re-elected by the entire council for a second term. He has the capacity to show the way forward and to ensure better outcomes for the mining sector.

It was former president Mike Teke who first highlighted the need for new mining industry livery.

He did so at last year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba by pointing out that mining history under chamber branding had not only been a foundation stone of the South African economy but had also been a foundation stone of South Africa’s abhorrent apartheid past.

He charged the industry with doing itself a disservice by not fully acknowledging its underpinning of what had been declared a crime against humanity and called strongly for obstacles in the way of better stakeholder relationships to be removed.

“One of my greatest wishes is that the industry resolves to deal with this, and soon,” KwaThema-born Teke stated in his mea culpa speech.

Fifteen months later, the industry has chosen to face up to history and its outward sign of a new inward grade has taken the form of rebranding as an admission that the past must not be allowed to burden industry stakeholders any longer and that its reputation in the eyes of all stakeholders has to be given a new start.

While, in the words of Mgojo, a new logo does not guarantee a new legacy, it takes place at a time when the country’s political environment is looking far more positive and the members of Minerals Council South Africa are also committing to greater positivity.

“As the Minerals Council South Africa, we have a vision and we are implementing our strategy. In the years ahead, we will work to help our great country realise its true economic and transformational potential for all her citizens,” pledged Mgojo, who has repeatedly demonstrated his worth as CEO of Exxaro Resources.

At his side providing support are his accomplished VPs, Steve Phiri, CEO of Royal Bafokeng Platinum, Andile Sangqu, executive head of Anglo American South Africa, and Neal Froneman, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater, with new board members including Deshnee Naidoo, CEO of Vedanta Resources’ Africa Base Metals, Chris Sheppard, COO of AngloGold Ashanti, and Errol Smart, CEO of Orion Minerals.

‘Rebooting’ will require ethical leadership, good governance and policy and regulatory certainty, which are all now within the reach of the country.