# The Institute of Race Relations says South Africa’s mining sector is operating well below its potential and needs urgent reform to restore its contribution to the economy. According to the institute, mining’s share of gross domestic product has dropped from 21-percent in 1980 to about seven-percent, with thousands of jobs lost and falling investment in exploration. The institute’s Terence Corrigan blames the current mining regulatory framework, including licensing delays and ownership requirements, which weaken investor confidence.
Institute of Race Relations says SA’s mining sector held back by policy failures