The sub-committee has been battling to craft a mining policy position taking into account the research findings it commissioned, the radical views expressed by the ANCYL and concerns from the mining industry.

ANC spokesman Keith Khoza said all submissions have been forwarded to relevant NEC sub-committees for further processing and discussion. "The intention is to engage with organisations through sub-committees for enrichment and to try and be accommodating of public thinking and views," he said.

NUM secretary-general Frans Baleni described the Chamber of Mines of SA's response to the ANC's proposals on mining as "rejectionist".

"Our stance on the chamber is that a rejectionist approach is not sustainable. We said to them they could not ignore the reality of SA being rich in minerals and yet the triple challenge [of inequality, poverty and unemployment] is facing us daily."