Question NW272 to the Minister of Mineral Resources

Madisha, Mr WM to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources

(1) Whether his department has a policy in place to ensure that coal mining, which will continue to come under intense pressure as climate change bites deeper and as the present known sources of coal are exhausted, will have diversified in several ways to at least preserve jobs at the current levels; if not, why not; if so, what policy initiatives are in place to keep miners’ jobs secure into the future; (2) whether coal mining companies have been offered any role to play in producing electricity through a combination of both thermal and solar means for their own use as well as to offer to the national grid; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW276E