Gordhan calls for mining industry rethink

South Africa Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Tuesday urged mining companies in Africa to empower the youth and re-skill their workers to counter the adverse effects of technology, while ensuring that they mined commodities sustainably. Gordhan said technology in mining, especially the advent and subsequent takeover by robots and artificial intelligence, was threatening to wipe out at least five million jobs in the industry in the next few years.