Mining companies are investing in training their employees and community members, particularly the youth, contributing more than R5-billion in 2024 to generally lift skill levels and to secure jobs both within the industry and in the future when mining has ceased, industry body Minerals Council South Africa’s #MiningMatters reveals.

“Mining continues to demonstrate that a positive impact on people is its greatest value creation now and in the future. The training funded by mining companies is critical to develop skills at work and more broadly in host communities to shape a more resilient, inclusive future for employees and communities alike,” Minerals Council human resources and skills development head Mustak Ally posits.

A project arising from the recent work of the B20 is how to establish thriving industries and economies in communities once mining has ceased. Increased investments and focus on skills development in mine-host communities forms the foundation block for this project.

Training provided to mine employees more than doubled in 2024 from the previous year, with companies delivering nearly 860 000 training interventions, up from 407 899 in 2023, according to a study by the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA), an organisation that is a strategic partner to the mining industry and which is funded by companies’ contributions of skills levies.

Between 2021 and 2024, the mining industry implemented an average of more than 601 000 training programmes a year for employees.

Most of the training was short courses, with safety as the dominant theme.

The mining industry had 42 fatalities in 2024, which is the lowest on record.

As of the end of November, the industry had recorded 39 fatalities.

Injuries were recorded at 1 602, a decrease of 11% (on average 11% to 16% reduction a month from the start of 2025) compared with the previous year.

In the past five years, more than R1-billion was spent on providing higher education bursaries.

In 2024, 51 430 community members – nearly 78% of whom were unemployed – received training funded by mining companies, rising from 41 130 in 2021, as the industry increases its focus on developing local skills, education and capacity for work within mining or in other businesses.

The training was focused on young people, with the provision of more than 12 800 bursaries in 2024 and nearly 10 800 short courses, which are designed to provide skills in a time-efficient manner.

In total, 36 520 youth and 3 300 school children received training during 2024.

As the MQA notes, companies are focused on mine engineering, which is a scarce skill, as well as chemical, electrical and electro-mechanical engineering in their provision of bursaries.

Artisanal training is also a key area of focus.

Recent four-year trends monitored by the MQA, drawing on submissions made by up to 965 mining companies, as well as those providing services to the industry, and diamond processing and jewellery manufacturing companies, show that the industry is improving its employees’ capabilities, expanding training opportunities and accelerating community development efforts.

In a separate study conducted by economic and financial data consultancy Quantec, 19 Minerals Council member companies representing more than 266 400 employees, or about 56% of industry employment, showed that they have spent R5.7-billion on training and development in 2024; spent R23 568 on training per full-time employee; trained more than 19 120 people totalling 30.8-million training hours; and provided 4 985 bursaries.

The average yearly salary within the mining industry in 2024 was R577 597 for high-skilled workers, R328 996 for semi-skilled workers and R246 924 for those in low- and unskilled roles.

While still a minority, the percentage of women employed in the mining industry has increased, with women accounting for 21% of employees across all job categories in 2024, according to the Commission for Employment Equity’s annual report.

That same year, women represented 21% of top management, 25% of senior management and 30% of professionally qualified and mid-management jobs.