02/10/2017
South African miners swing to R17bn profit
The South African mining industry has swung to a net profit of R17-billion this year, compared with a R46-billion loss in 2016, PwC has revealed in ninth ‘SA Mine’ report.
The report, which covers 29 South African mining companies, states that spot price increases for bulk commodities supported the industry and contributed to the return to profitability.
However, a decrease in dividends and market capitalisation, retrenchments across the industry and marginal increases in taxes paid showed that the industry was still facing many challenges in the year.
PwC assurance partner Andries Rossouw pointed out that the industry’s revenue had increased by 13% year-on-year to R43-billion, which was the “first substantial increase in more than five years”.
Operating expenses, however, increased by R13-billion, while continued low commodity prices resulted in another year with significant impairments in the industry, with a total of R22-billion in impairment provisions.
More than R100-billion has been impaired over the last three years, more than wiping out the last two years of capital expenditure in the industry, the report showed.
The report also outlined that the market capitalisation of the companies analysed decreased nearly to the low levels recorded in 2015.
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Despite wading through what is being dubbed the year of regulatory conflict, South Africa’s mining industry in 2017 has seen a turnaround in financial performance and the first substantial increase in revenue in five years, the latest PwC SA Mine report has shown. Spot price increases for bulk commo...