SA's growth isn't based on excessive resource exploitation
by Stephen Hosking: Lecturer in the field of economics at NMMU, who has contributed academic economic papers for about 20 years.
An optimal and efficient exploitation of natural resources may be identified at all points in economic development. It is not generally accepted and definitely not proven that South Africa's growth is based upon excessive exploitation of natural resources.
The country is naturally resource rich, and exploiting this comparative advantage is a predictable outcome. The challenge is for the government to make sure that economic and not only financial costing is employed to guide the private sector toward the social optimums in resource input use and exploitation. Closely related to this endeavour is linking these costs to the utility and mineral right tariff structures as determined by government on behalf of society, both current and future.
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