Sustainable social development in the South African mining sector

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.