Withhold minerals to the US, SA's Mantashe implores
South Africa's minister of mineral resources and petroleum resources, Gwede Mantashe, has hit back at threats by US President Donald Trump over funding cuts to South Africa, calling on African nations to withhold minerals from the world's most powerful nation if needs be.
In his address on Monday to the 31st Investing in African Mining Indaba, which is taking place in Cape Town this week, Mantashe said South Africa and other African nations should not cower in fear of US threats.
"Let us withhold minerals to the US," he said. "If they don’t give us money, let's not give them minerals ...we are not just beggars, let us use that endowment for our benefit... If as a continent we are [paralysed] with fear, we are going to collapse, but with minerals at our doorstep."
Mantashe said Africa is the world’s richest mining jurisdiction, with at least 90% of the world’s chromium and platinum, 40% of the world’s gold, and the largest reserves of cobalt, vanadium, manganese, and uranium.
"Despite having these abundant mineral resources, Africa remains poor, and this must change."
Trump alleged on the Truth Social platform on Sunday that with its land expropriation policy "South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY", and that the US would be "cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed".
-FIN24
In his address on Monday to the 31st Investing in African Mining Indaba, which is taking place in Cape Town this week, Mantashe said South Africa and other African nations should not cower in fear of US threats.
"Let us withhold minerals to the US," he said. "If they don’t give us money, let's not give them minerals ...we are not just beggars, let us use that endowment for our benefit... If as a continent we are [paralysed] with fear, we are going to collapse, but with minerals at our doorstep."
Mantashe said Africa is the world’s richest mining jurisdiction, with at least 90% of the world’s chromium and platinum, 40% of the world’s gold, and the largest reserves of cobalt, vanadium, manganese, and uranium.
"Despite having these abundant mineral resources, Africa remains poor, and this must change."
Trump alleged on the Truth Social platform on Sunday that with its land expropriation policy "South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY", and that the US would be "cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed".
-FIN24
