Across Africa's mining sectors, digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence are no longer emerging concepts, they are actively reshaping the way mines operate. Yet as mining operations modernise, a critical question emerges: will this transformation empower the communities that have sustained mining operations for generations, or will it leave them behind?
The operator's dilemma
Walk onto any modern South African mine site, and you will likely witness this shift firsthand. Haul truck drivers and excavator operators from nearby communities who have operated heavy machinery for years now face a fundamental crossroads. Equipment traditionally operated manually on site is being managed remotely through centralised control centres, where operators engage with digital dashboards, monitor autonomous fleets and interpret real-time data generated by AI-driven systems.
The question is not whether automation will arrive, it is already here. The question is whether mining companies will invest in transitioning their local workforce alongside their technology, or whether communities will watch opportunities disappear behind screens they cannot readily or easily access.
The digital divide in South Africa's mining heartlands
Census 2022 revealed that approximately 79% of the country has some form of internet access and the number of households without internet access decreased from 64.8% in 2011 to 21.1% in 2022. However, this national picture masks stark regional disparities. A 2023 PwC report warns that severe technological skills shortages threaten mining's digital evolution, with two-thirds of mining CEOs anticipating profitability impacts. Infrastructure challenges compound this risk, as an estimated 20% to 30% of rural areas lack sufficient cellular coverage, leaving mining communities hamstrung in their ability to access the connectivity required for AI-driven operations.
Unlike previous technologies that could work in isolation, AI systems are inherently networked, requiring integration with cloud services, data centres and constantly evolving models. AI demands something unprecedented: continuous connectivity, real-time data processing and constant updates.
The legal gap: MPRDA and the AI silence
The Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) requires mining companies to comply with prescribed social and labour plans, which must be reviewed every five years, and to further the objects of transformation and compliance with prescribed social and labour plan commitments. However, both the MPRDA and the Draft Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill are silent when it comes to AI, automation and digital transformation. This regulatory silence does not absolve mining companies of responsibility. On the contrary, it creates legal uncertainty and exposes companies to reputational risk, particularly where communities perceive that technological change has excluded them from economic participation.
Practical steps for mining companies
- Embed AI training in social and labour plans -Mining right holders must implement the approved social and labour plan despite the operational status of the mine, which must be reviewed every five years for the duration of the mining right. AI and digital skills development should no longer be peripheral initiatives, they should be embedded as core components of Skills Development Programmes within SLPs, aligned with future operational realities.
- Create structured reskilling pathways for equipment operators - In some instances where mining companies have implemented structured retraining programmes, former haul truck and excavator operators have successfully transitioned into roles such as remote operations controllers, systems monitors and maintenance data analysts. While not all employees may possess the foundational skillset to transition seamlessly, particularly where educational backgrounds may limit immediate technological adaptation, mining companies should explore opportunities to establish career progression pathways. This includes offering foundational digital literacy training, followed by progressive upskilling routes from manual operation to remote control centres, predictive maintenance monitoring and data analysis functions, where feasible.
- Ensure meaningful consultation and digital literacy - Meaningful engagement requires informed participation. In many mining-affected communities, digital literacy levels remain low, and exposure to AI and automation is limited. As a result, communities are often unable to raise concerns, ask informed questions or identify opportunities linked to digitalisation during consultation processes. This creates an imbalance where communities engage from a position of disadvantage, while decisions about automation, remote operations and workforce restructuring proceed without substantive local input.
Mining companies are encouraged to address this imbalance by providing communities with the digital literacy needed to meaningfully engage in consultation processes relating to technological change.
- Support artisanal and small-scale miners - AI-powered tools can also assist artisanal and small-scale miners through mobile applications for geological mapping, safety monitoring and market access. By extending digital training to this sector, mining companies can support formalisation and sustainable practices across the broader mining ecosystem.
Digital transformation in mining is inevitable. How it is managed will determine whether it strengthens or undermines relationships with host communities. The haul truck operator transitioning to a remote-control centre. The community member learning to interpret AI-generated maintenance data. The local youth trained in digital skills who can compete for higher-value employment. These are not peripheral concerns; they are the foundational to mining's social licence to operate in an AI-enabled future.
Mining companies attending the 2026 Indaba must ask themselves: are we automating our operations while empowering our communities, or are we building a digital divide that will undermine the very sustainability we seek?
The technology is here. The legal framework exists. Africa's youthful demographic, with over 70% of the population under the age of 30, presents an unprecedented opportunity to leverage a tech-savvy generation and drive inclusive digital transformation. What remains is the commitment to ensure that Africa's mining revolution is built on inclusion, skills transfer and long-term empowerment.
