Investigating the values and fears of mechanisation in the South African gold and platinum industry

Abstract

South Africa suffers from an inability to realise the full potential of its mineral endowment that could lead the nation to the prosperity of all its citizens. A number of views exist as potential solutions to a mining industry in crisis. Opinions range from radical transformation in ownership of mineral rights within the country to the adaptation of mechanised mining methods within the gold and platinum industry. This paper presents an unconventional outlook to this subject matter in challenging the prevalent inclination to adopt a mindset of either mechanising struggling operations or retaining a labour-intensive conventional mindset. Following a qualitative research study, fourteen interviews were conducted across all identified mining stakeholders. Through inductive reasoning and applying a qualitative content analysis process, categories were extracted from the collected data. The result allowed the researcher to populate a polarity map designed to navigate users through a process of applying “both-and" thinking as a supplement to conventional problem-solving techniques. The use of polarity management capitalises on the inherent tensions between the two opposing views, resulting in a sustainable competitive advantage. The implication of this exploratory study is to encourage the use of this alternative approach to the challenges within the South African gold and platinum industry. By considering the resisting stakeholders as a resource rather than an obstacle and making use of the developed polarity map creates a natural anticipation for progression in an infinite loop that is regarded as a key to sustainability. The opportunity exists to refine the developed polarity map through further research.