MEMSA Interim-CEO Ms Juliana Makapan, together with MEMSA Chair Mr Matimba Mahange and member board members Mr Ulrich Kienle and Mr SAM Kader, recently met with Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA) CEO Mr Mzila Mthenjane and Mr Sietse van der Woude, Senior Executive: Modernisation and Safety, to explore opportunities for closer collaboration between mining equipment manufacturers and South African mining companies. 

The engagement underscored the critical importance of ongoing innovation in local mining equipment manufacturing, and the need for manufacturers to remain closely aligned with mining companies to ensure that locally produced solutions remain relevant, competitive, and responsive to evolving operational needs. Participants highlighted that proximity between suppliers and end-users enables faster innovation cycles, practical problem-solving, and the development of fit-for-purpose technologies that directly support mine productivity, safety, and cost efficiency. 

Discussions focused on improving alignment across the mining value chain and strengthening collaboration between manufacturers and end-users, with a strong emphasis on sustained industrialisation, localisation, and the development of a globally competitive local supply chain. A resilient domestic manufacturing base is recognised as essential to security of supply, technological advancement, and the long-term sustainability of the South African mining sector. 

Key themes included safety, digitisation, mechanisation, and modernisation, and the role local manufacturers can play in co-developing innovative solutions alongside mining companies. The importance of early supplier involvement in mine planning, technology deployment, and modernisation initiatives was highlighted as a way to ensure that innovation is both practical and scalable. 

The meeting took place against a positive industry backdrop as South African mining is currently benefiting from strong commodity prices and a degree of renewed confidence in the operating environment, creating a timely opportunity to strengthen alignment between industry, policymakers, and the local manufacturing ecosystem. 

The Minerals Council also highlighted its expanding mandate for multi-stakeholder engagement, opening further opportunities for MEMSA and its members to participate more actively across its platforms and structures. The engagement was constructive and forward-looking, with MEMSA warmly welcomed and recognised as a key partner in supporting the modernisation, competitiveness, and future resilience of South African mining.