As mining activities wind down in many areas across South Africa, it’s important not to lose sight of the opportunities that rehabilitated mining areas can bring. For future-forward companies, this could be a chance to empower communities, leaving behind a positive legacy of alternative sustainable land use. At Exxaro, we see this as part of our long-term strategy, as well as something critical to South Africa’s continued development.

While the viability of rehabilitating mined land for agricultural purposes is still being debated and researched, mining companies must realise the bountiful potential that agri-economies could contribute to fostering sustainable employment in areas where the mining industry was once a major employer...