South Africa Mining Minister Criticizes DRC Over US Minerals Deal
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Speaking at Cape Town’s Mining Indaba, Mantashe clashed with his DRC counterpart at a Sunday ministerial meeting over Kinshasa’s Washington pact. He advocated deepening African state collaboration: “It can’t be about you. It should be about us all in the region.”
Remarks followed US announcement of critical minerals trade zone with price floors to counter China dominance. Mantashe viewed extra-continental deals as divide-and-conquer exacerbating resource competition.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema separately pushed regional value chains around mining logistics, processing and refinement. “Whether Tazara Railway or Lobito Corridor, focus not just transport but what we transport—beyond pit-to-port,” he told delegates.
US-DRC deal grants Washington mineral access implicitly tied to Trump-brokered DRC-Rwanda peace (now faltering amid M23 clashes), critics say without building DRC processing capacity or freezing taxes/regulations decade-long.
Mantashe clarified no “sellout” accusation but stressed continental over self-interest; DRC exempted Trump high tariffs via deal.
