Collaborative Partnerships as a Strategy to Improve Road Infrastructure Development in Mineral Extraction Areas

Collaborative Partnerships as a Strategy to Improve Road Infrastructure Development in Mineral Extraction Areas

Marcia V. Moyo , Rasodi K. Manyaka & Themba M. Lukhele

Issue: Vol.6 No.14 Article 30 pp.3810 – 3821
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561430 | Published online 30th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

Mining companies play a pivotal role in infrastructure development within the communities where they operate, driven by regulatory frameworks and corporate social responsibilities. This study investigated the collaborative efforts between mining companies and the municipalities in mineral extraction areas in South Africa, focusing on road infrastructure development. Using a qualitative methodology, the research identified key drivers, such as regulatory mandates and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments, alongside challenges like misalignment of priorities and coordination inefficiencies within partnerships. The findings revealed that while legal and voluntary contributions from mining companies foster road infrastructure development, systemic barriers, including bureaucratic delays and community unrest, undermine these efforts. The study concluded with recommendations to enhance collaboration, including formalised partnership frameworks, streamlined processes, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and increased community engagement. These strategies aim to foster sustainable road infrastructure development and stronger partnerships between municipalities and mining companies. This study contributes to a growing body of literature on PPPs in local governance and infrastructure development.

Keywords: Collaborative Partnerships, Social and Labour Plans, Road Infrastructure, Mineral Extraction Areas, Stakeholder Theory

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Miss Marcia Veronica Moyo holds a Master of Administration degree from the University of Mpumalanga. With a strong foundation in higher education, she has served as a tutor at the University of Mpumalanga for four years. Her research interests include public policy, local government and infrastructure development and behavioural public Administration.

Rasodi K Manyaka is a senior lecturer of Public Affairs at Tshwane University of Technology. He holds a Doctor of Public Affairs. He has been an academic in several universities in South Africa for the past 15 years. He is a former member of the National Board of SAAPAM.

Themba Lukhele is a multidisciplinary scholar within the field of development studies and cognate disciplines Development Planning, Local Economic Development studies at the University of Mpumalanga, South Africa. Lukhele holds a PhD in Construction (project) Management. Lukhele is the recipient of the prestigious nGAP scholarship that aimed at transforming the Higer education system in south Africa.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Moyo, Marcia V., Rasodi K. Manyaka, and Themba M. Lukhele.“ Collaborative Partnerships as a Strategy to Improve Road Infrastructure Development in Mineral Extraction Areas.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 14 (2025): 3810 – 3821, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561430.