Rustenburg, North West — The Bojanala Platinum District is accelerating discussions on economic diversification as concerns grow over the long-term sustainability of a mining-dependent economy. The district, which includes Rustenburg, Kgetleng River, Moses Kotane, Madibeng, and Moretele Local Municipalities, has long thrived on platinum extraction, but stakeholders now agree that planning for a post-mining future must begin immediately.
At a recent symposium in Rustenburg, government officials, private sector representatives, and traditional leaders convened to chart a path toward expanding agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. The consensus was clear: while mining remains the economic engine, overreliance on a finite resource poses significant risk.
North West Premier Lazurus Mokgosi acknowledged that some mining companies exceed legal requirements to improve community livelihoods, but stressed that greater urgency is needed. “We need to move with speed and focus immensely on beneficiation,” Mokgosi said. “This is an area where little progress has been made in our province. Therefore, we need to give more flesh and impetus to beneficiation.”
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong warned against perpetuating an “extraction economy” model. “For decades, many rich regions across the world have functioned as extraction economies. Raw materials are extracted and transported elsewhere in the world for processing, manufacturing and export,” Morolong stated. “The value addition takes place elsewhere. The industrialization takes place elsewhere. The jobs are created elsewhere. The future of Bojanala cannot be limited to this model. Mining must become the foundation upon which we build a diversified and industrialized economy.”
Traditional leadership emphasized youth empowerment as central to diversification efforts. Kgosi Mogale of the Bojanala House of Traditional and Khoi San Leaders highlighted skills development as critical to lifting young people out of poverty. “Skills development, as it was suggested earlier today, is a key role in taking our young people outside poverty,” Mogale said, citing personal experience in the agricultural sector. “Those stipends change the lives of our people.”
Collaboration across sectors was identified as essential. Representatives from Moses Kotane Tourism called for partnerships between mining operations and tourism organizations to promote cultural heritage and boost visitor numbers. “There is tourism, mining, and tourism organizations that can combine and do this and bring back the culture and the happiness of the tourist that they are contributing towards our GDP,” a tourism representative noted.
Agriculture was also spotlighted for its potential in job creation and community development. Local organizations reported training youth aged 18 to 35—particularly those unable to access tertiary education—to build capacity in non-mining sectors. Additionally, mining companies were urged to prioritize procurement from local suppliers to strengthen small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
As Bojanala navigates the transition, stakeholders agree that proactive planning, skills investment, and cross-sector partnerships will determine whether the district can build a resilient, diversified economy for the future.
