Minefields of Marikana: Prospects for Forging a New Social Compact

The document examines the socio-economic instability of South Africa's platinum belt, specifically following the 2012 Marikana tragedy. It argues that the 'oscillating migrant labour' system persists because of a 'double balance' in the national elite bargain, where the ruling ANC and traditional authorities maintain insecure communal land tenure to ensure a steady supply of cheap labour. The author contends that corporate social investment (CSI) and Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) are insufficient to address these structural issues due to coordination failures and the exclusion of 'informal' migrant settlers. The paper recommends reforming land tenure legislation, prohibiting traditional authorities from operating as corporations, restricting politically connected elites from BEE transactions, and implementing more humane, shorter migration work cycles.

• The South African platinum group metals (PGM) sector is a critical economic driver, accounting for 23% of mining exports in 2012 and supporting nearly two million people due to a high average dependency ratio of 10:1 per mining job.
• The 'oscillating migrant labour' system persists post-apartheid, driven by extreme poverty and insecure land tenure in former homelands, which incentivizes young men to seek mine work rather than invest in local agriculture.
• A 'double balance' exists within South Africa's elite bargain where political institutions (traditional authorities) and economic institutions (insecure land tenure) mutually reinforce each other to maintain power and control over labour.
• The ruling ANC has maintained the power of traditional authorities to secure rural votes and prevent conservative alliances, despite the constitution's goal of reversing apartheid-era practices.
• Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiatives in the platinum belt often fail to address root causes of poverty, such as recruitment and housing, and are frequently disconnected from local Integrated Development Plans (IDPs).
• In the Rustenburg Local Municipality, the classification of migrant workers as 'informal' stakeholders allows both the municipality and mining companies to deny them claims to service delivery and developmental benefits.
• Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) has primarily enriched a politically connected new elite through links with white firms, creating a vested interest in maintaining concentrated industrial structures and rents.
• The migrant labour system contributes to significant public health crises, specifically driving 'concurrence' (overlapping sexual partnerships) and increasing HIV infection rates in regions like North West.

APA

Harvey, R. (2014). Minefields of Marikana: Prospects for Forging a New Social Compact. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Occasional-Paper-183.pdf

Chicago

Harvey, Ross. Minefields of Marikana: Prospects for Forging a New Social Compact. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Occasional-Paper-183.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Harvey |first1=Ross |title=Minefields of Marikana: Prospects for Forging a New Social Compact |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Occasional-Paper-183.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{harvey2014minefields, author = {Harvey, Ross}, title = {{Minefields of Marikana: Prospects for Forging a New Social Compact}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Occasional-Paper-183.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }