The Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources will from tomorrow, 6 June 2025, embark on a three-day oversight visit to the state-owned mining company, Alexkor, in Alexander Bay, Northern Cape. Alexkor was established in terms of the Alexkor Limited Act of 1992 as a listed schedule 2 public entity wholly owned by the government, with the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources as the shareholder representative. Since inception, the company was reporting under the then Department of Public Enterprises and was only transferred to the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources in the 7th administration.
On Tuesday, 29 October 2024, the committee engaged with Alexkor for the first time to understand its business operation and challenges, and appreciated the complexities associated with the company’s mining operation. A resolution was taken in the meeting to find a suitable date to visit Alexkor on a fact-finding mission and meet with management, organised labour and stakeholders in Richtersveld. In February this year, the committee received as a referral from the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza, relating to a petition from Mr Gavin Graythorne about allegations of endemic corruption at Alexkor. Mr Graythorne was invited to a committee meeting on 13 May 2025, to present and elaborate on his petition, and a decision was taken to embark on an urgent oversight to the company.
During the oversight visit, the committee will meet with the management of Alexkor, Richtersveld Local Municipality, organised labour, the Richtersveld community and marine small-scale miners. The committee will also conduct site inspections at Alexkor’s core and non-core assets and illegal mining sites.
