At 7:00 a.m. local time June 23, 2021 in South Africa, at the invitation of Mr. Thabo Mokoena, Director General of the Ministry of Minerals and Energy of South Africa, Mr. Wang Jinding, Chairman of the Board of Pengxin Mining Co., Ltd. and his delegation paid a visit to the Ministry of Minerals and Energy of South Africa. They had in-depth exchanges with the Director General and members of its core team, and reached a consensus. 

Chairman Wang Jinding first introduced the recent development achievements of Pengxin Mining and its investment in South Africa, and expressed his confidence in the investment in South Africa. Mr. Wang Jinding also made a request to the Ministry of Minerals and Energy of South Africa for the illegal mining activities occurred in Orkney Area recently, and hoped that the South Africa government could come forward to solve it in accordance with laws.

On behalf of Mr. Samson Gwede Mantashe, the Minister of the Ministry of Minerals and Energy of South Africa, the Director General Mr. Thabo Mokoena extended a warm welcome to Mr. Wang Jinding and his delegation for their visit to South Africa. He thanked Pengxin Mining for its investment in South Africa and highly appreciated Pengxin Mining for creating job opportunities and benefiting the communities in South Africa. The Director General attached great importance to Chairman Wang Jinding’s proposal to deal with illegal mining activities, and said the Ministry of Minerals and Energy had arranged an internal special action team to coordinate with various government departments and promised to come up with a solution within two weeks.

The Director General, Mr. Thabo Mokoena, strongly condemned the illegal mining activities in South Africa, and made it clear that the Government of South Africa had characterized the illegal mining activities occurred in the Orkney Area as organized crimes. As a large number of illegal immigrants and veterans from Lesotho, the neighboring country of South Africa, has participated in the illegal mining activities in South Africa, the Minister Mr Samson Gwede Mantashe also issued a statement to the media on Wednesday during a field visit to the Orkney Gold Mine, publicly and severely condemning the illegal mining activities occurred in South Africa.

The Director General, Mr. Thabo Mokoena, made it clear that the Ministry of Mines will take the lead in organizing and coordinating a joint effort by the South African Police Service, the South African Serious Crime Unit, the South African Department of Foreign Affairs, and the South African Department of Home Affairs to conduct a joint action to assist CAPM's security company in cleaning up the illegal mining activities.

The Director General, Mr. Thabo Mokoena, made it clear that he will come up with an action plan within two weeks to assist Pengxin Mining in its gold mining activities in South Africa and win the battle of annihilation to wipe out the illegal mining. The Director General instructed the Deputy Director General Mr Tseliso Maqubelao to take charge of and follow it up.

The Chief Inspector, Mr. David Msiza, and the Deputy Director General, Mr Tseliso Maqubelao, from the Ministry of Minerals and Energy of South Africa also attended the meeting.