Freshest thoughts

Is this the silver bullet that could save the South African mining industry?

22 September 2014, Bernard Swanepoel

Ray Hartley boldly claims in his Sunday Times article (21 September) that the future of mining arrived on a winter’s day in July when South Africa’s newest platinum mine, Booyersdal, began production. Read more


Is SA mining stumbling over cliff or migrating to better future?

15 September 2014, Bernard Swanepoel

As South Africans we are famous for talking. CODESA’s, Lekgotla’s, Indaba’s, working groups and conferences is what we do. Read more


The Tribe Has Spoken: South African Miners – Please leave the island!

10 October 2013, Bernard Swanepoel

Although I wasn’t a follower of Survivor, my understanding is that the basic concept was that the losing tribe had to vote to eject one of its members from the island. Typical of human nature, it was not necessarily the weakest or the most “deserving” member, but often an innocent or even strong one. Read more


Incentives are the corporate equivalent of Vitamin C

24 September 2013, Bernard Swanepoel

Just like the research disproving the efficacy of Vitamin C’s supposed health benefits, there is an overwhelming body of research proving that incentives and especially bonuses are not quite doing what we expect of them. Read more


Why I still believe we need more hostile bids

25 June 2013, Bernard Swanepoel

On 6 Jan 2000, when I was CEO of Harmony, we launched a hostile bid for Randfontein Estates, a company then part of Brett Kebble’s JCI group. Read more


Presentation [icon]

February 2013, Bernard Swanepoel

A controversial, thought provoking, and incisive analysis by Bernard Swanepoel, presented at the Mining Indaba, Cape Town, February 2013
Download PPTX Download PDF