North West Premier, Bushy Maape, confirmed that a total of R7 billion has been secured into the province following his engagements with representatives of Harmony Gold Mine. He said the engagements with Harmony Gold Mine form part of ongoing efforts by the provincial government to build partnerships towards growing the economy and creating much-needed jobs. 

In his statement, Maape says the provincial government has been engaging with the private sector to lure them to invest in the province, in order to deal with challenges of unemployment which currently stands around 35%.

According to Maape, the management of the mine has indicated that a total of R7 billion will be spent on two capital projects, which include Zaaiplats and Kareerand.

He says Zaaiplats is an extension of the existing Moab-Khotsong operation, which will see the lifespan of the mine extended by a further eighteen years, preserving over six thousand jobs. Whilst the Kareerand expansion project is expected to increase the lifespan of mine waste solutions by a further sixteen years, creating various socio-economic opportunities for locals. Maape adds that the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Beyers Nel, stated that the company has over the years spent over R500 million on black-owned entities.

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