Media Statement by Bench Marks Foundation - Whose resources are being pludered after all?

Ample richness in natural resources has failed to materialise in development for local communities in South Africa, who bear the brunt of the negative impacts of extractive industries in their area. Despite the so-called resource curse, the existence of abundant natural resources can be turned into a blessing, according to the Bench Marks Foundation.

The Bench Marks Foundation, in collaboration with the Norwegian Church Aid, will be hosting a three-day conference titled the “Just World Conference: Whose Resources?” from 29 to 31 October 2012 at the Willow Park Conference Centre in Kempton Park, to explore how to turn this curse into a blessing.

“We expect to have high-level debates throughout the conference around how natural resources can be used to the benefit of people and what the main obstacles are,” says John Capel, Executive Director of the Bench Marks Foundation.

“A special session on nationalisation will be held at 19h00 on 29 October 2012. Panellists from a mixture of sectors will lead the debate on this hotly contested issue”.

Panellists include:

• Mr Michael Solomon, Chairman of the Mineral Economics Committee, Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy;
• Mr Andile Mngxitama, activist and writer;
• Mr Shawn Hattingh from the International Labour Research and Information Group;
• Mrs Tumba Lola, a former minister from DR Congo; and
• Representatives of unions.

The Bishop of Pretoria, Rt Reverend Dr Jo Seoka will chair a session on Marikana on the morning of 29 October 2012. Questions will be put to the participants, which include representatives from Marikana, as to what the underlying causes really were that sparked the horrendous events of 16 August, what can be learnt from the event and how the events of that fateful day should be understood. The Bishop was involved in the negotiations between the miners and Lonmin and helped bring the situation to an end.

“We are bringing together policy-makers, mining companies, academics, NGOs, representatives of local communities, as well representatives from all over Africa,  in order to spark engagement, open debates and to share and gain more knowledge about a wide range of issues around mining and the ownership of natural resources,” says Capel.

“Struggle Stalwart, Professor Ben Turok, who has been commissioned by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa to lead a team of senior researchers on value addition in natural resources in ten countries is our key note speaker for the conference”.

Different models of ownership of natural resources will be explored, using a variety of existing models such as the Zambian experience with copper, Botswana’s experience with diamonds, South Africa’s overall mining experience and Norway’s experience with oil.

Other important issues on the agenda are the impacts of industries on local communities, gender relations and the impact on the environment.

To find out more about the conference, please contact Bench Marks on 011 832 1743 or email justworldconference@gmail.com. Media are welcome to attend, but must register with justworldconference@gmail.com for accreditation.

Notes to editors:

Bench Marks Foundation is an independent non-governmental organisation mandated by churches to monitor the practices of multi-national corporations to

• ensure they respect human rights;
• protect the environment;
• ensure that profit-making is not done at the expense of other interest groups; and
• ensure that those most negatively impacted upon are heard, protected and accommodated within the business plans of the corporations.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu launched the Foundation in 2001 and the Rt Rev Dr Jo Seoka chairs the organisation.