There is a revolution simmering in Africa’s mining sector not from deep below the ground, but from classrooms, laboratories, and convention centers. Fresh young blood is rising to the top, and it is rewriting the industry’s vision of its own future.
It was not possible to escape that transformation at this year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba. There was a whole day spent on the Young Leaders Programme, charged with dynamism and visionary ideas. South Africa’s Deputy Minerals and Petroleum Resources Minister, Phumzile Mgcina, introduced the day with a statement that rang true: the future of mining must learn to talk the language of its youth a language of inclusivity, mission, and innovation.
The figures spoke for themselves. More than 10 Ph.D. students in mining disciplines accompanied young professionals to break the mould and demand more voices.
Young leaders were represented; however, she was there to pave the way.
Take Nomvula Mahlangu, 26, a mining graduate interning at Sibanye Stillwater. She’s passionate about creating flexible learning paths, mentorship networks, and spaces where youth can influence strategy and policy.
“We haven’t reached a critical mass yet,” she says, “but we’re getting there and we’re being heard.”
And it’s not rhetoric. A R400-million Junior Mining Exploration Fund, backed by powerful bodies like the IDC and Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, is opening doors for young entrepreneurs in mining.
That kind of investment leaves no question: youth is not just welcomed here it’s mandated.
Murendeni Makhado, age 35, ESG and water expert at Impala Platinum, agrees. “Youth want to know that what they are doing is making an impact.
Youth want to make a difference, not simply pass time.” Her vision of sustainability work is clear proof that mining can be part of the worldwide green transition, creating jobs beyond the blanket “mining” assumption.
Both Makhado and Mahlangu are featured in the Mining Indaba Influencer Campaign 2026, designed to amplify the voices of those at the forefront of the industry.
And it’s making a difference. Their vision a regenerative, inclusive business embedded in global agendas is taking hold.
And as Laura Nicholson, content director, Mining Indaba, says, “Young professionals aren’t just the future of mining they’re the ones reimagining it right now.”
In a world where companies are fighting to stay in the race, Africa’s mining sector is gearing up by putting faith in its future leaders. They’re not just building careers they’re building legacies.
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