{"id":877054,"date":"2026-09-25T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=877054"},"modified":"2026-09-25T14:45:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T12:45:49","slug":"south-africa-makes-an-offer-to-the-united-states-for-something-it-wants-and-a-plan-to-get-it-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/877054\/south-africa-makes-an-offer-to-the-united-states-for-something-it-wants-and-a-plan-to-get-it-done\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa makes an offer to the United States for something it wants – and a plan to get it done"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

South Africa is proposing a dedicated Critical Minerals Investment Platform and a South Africa-USA Critical Minerals Working Group to turn growing interest in the sector into concrete investment, processing and manufacturing projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said the mechanisms would help match South African critical minerals projects with US industrial demand, financing, technology and long-term offtake agreements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tau was addressing a high-level Critical Minerals Roundtable hosted by Brand South Africa, in partnership with Standard Bank, on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said South Africa wants to move beyond discussions about its mineral wealth, and towards partnerships that would build resilient supply chains, deepen industrial cooperation and create greater value from the country’s resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe value this opportunity because the conversation we need to have today is not simply about minerals. It is about how South Africa and the United States can build more resilient supply chains, deepen industrial cooperation, mobilise investment and create greater value from the resources that South Africa possesses.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tau said South Africa does not want its relationship with the US to be defined simply by the extraction and export of raw materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur objective is to use this resource base to build durable industrial partnerships. We do not want to define the relationship simply as one in which South Africa extracts and exports raw materials,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We want to build value chains that include mining, refining, processing, advanced materials, component manufacturing and, where commercially viable, downstream production.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Africa’s Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy, approved by Cabinet in 2025, places local processing and beneficiation, infrastructure, research and development and strategic partnerships at the centre of efforts to maximise the value of the country’s mineral endowment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tau said the country has a strong proposition, including significant reserves and production capabilities in platinum group metals, manganese, chromium and vanadium, alongside opportunities in rare earth elements, titanium and zirconium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minister said the US is seeking secure and diversified sources of critical minerals, while South Africa needs investment, technology, skills, long-term offtake commitments and market access.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis creates the basis for a partnership in which both countries address a strategic economic need,” the Minister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“South Africa can contribute mineral resources, processing capability, industrial infrastructure and access to regional value chains, while US companies can bring capital, technology, markets, industrial expertise and long-term demand.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the proposed partnership should, therefore, be based on co-investment rather than a traditional supplier relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tau identified potential areas for value addition, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n