Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Prof Blade Nzimande, says mineral beneficiation must sit at the absolute centre of Africa’s economic conversation to move the continent beyond merely exporting raw materials.
Speaking during a panel discussion on critical minerals at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Industrialisation Week, currently underway at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC, Minister Nzimande outlined how strategic local processing can create regional value chains and sustainable economic growth.
Minister Nzimande opened his remarks by referencing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s keynote address at the 2026 Africa Energy Indaba.
He echoed the President’s assertion that Africa’s vast underground critical minerals are increasingly essential for global technological and energy sector applications.
"President Ramaphosa emphasised that the promise of Agenda 2063 relies not just on universal access to energy, but on productive access.
"This is access that empowers African economies to move beyond merely exporting raw materials and towards localised value addition," Nzimande said.
The Minister stressed that critical minerals have become the bedrock of modern economic growth, industrial competitiveness, energy security and the global transition to clean technologies.
For the SADC region, he noted, the challenge is no longer about proving the existence of these resources, but actively leveraging them to unlock widespread industrialisation.
Articulating the perspective of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the Minister highlighted that critical minerals are strategic enablers of future industries rather than ordinary commodities.
He reflected on two primary areas driving South Africa’s transition: the Hydrogen Economy and the Battery Economy.
He indicated that both sectors serve as central pillars of South Africa’s Decadal Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (2022–2032), which directly supports the nation’s just energy transition and inclusive economic growth.
To strengthen local capacity and unlock the high-value potential of these clean energy sectors, Minister Nzimande reminded delegates of the country’s long-standing institutional foundations.
This includes the government’s approval and deployment of the 15-year Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) strategy, launched in 2007, which established a strong foundation for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation continues to lead public-private partnership models aimed at bridging foundational scientific research with market-ready, practical manufacturing solutions across the SADC region. -SAnews.gov.za
