Central SA
North West government hails R1.5 billion investment at Stilfontein─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 10:44 Tue, 20 May 2025
The North West provincial government has welcomed a R1.5 billion investment injected into the Stilfontein mining operations.
The investment from Harmony Gold comes at a time when the province grapples with an alarming surge in unemployment, as highlighted in the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey of 2025, which recorded 57,000 job losses.
Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi praised the investment, calling it a significant milestone in the provincial government’s long-standing efforts to attract economic development and tackle unemployment.
“This forms part of a broader strategy by government to encourage investments in the province. I have no doubt that as more investments trickle in, several more job and business opportunities will be created and this will help reduce the high unemployment figures afflicting the province,” said Mokgosi.
The R1.5 billion injection is expected to create new employment opportunities for local residents and strengthen a growing trend of mining-related investments in the region. The latest project builds on a R7 billion commitment made by the mine in 2022, which included the extension of Moab-Khotsong operations in Stilfontein.
Mokgosi said the investment is a result of continuous engagement between the government and mining executives. Earlier this year, he had met with the company’s executive management on the sidelines of the Africa Mining Indaba to discuss key issues such as diversification, localisation, and the development of small, medium and micro enterprises.
“They have also made a commitment of about R1.5 to R2 billion investment on renewable energy and we believe in this discussion that they will also look at possible expansion of their mining activities in the province,” Mokgosi added.
The mine’s newly appointed CEO, Beyers Nel, confirmed the renewable energy investment is a core part of the company's long-term growth and sustainability plan.
“Through our R7 billion investment in 2022, we managed to preserve six thousand jobs for locals, extending the mine’s lifespan by twenty years. In 2020, we acquired Mine Waste Solutions, leading to an investment of over two billion rand and we have created close to two thousand five hundred jobs, 70% of which are locals,” Nel said.
