At the beginning of March, news came via Stellenbosch-based Jordan winery that the country’s African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation (AEMFC) had applied to prospect in the Western Cape. The AEMFC’s search included zinc, tin, lead, copper and silver.

The Cape Winemakers Guild issued a statement which said “…proposed mining activities [will] destroy the UNESCO registered Bottelary Renosterbos Conservancy and the vineyards that attract large numbers of tourists to South Africa every year; it will also result in the loss of employment and income for a great many families working on the wine farms in these areas.”

On March 11, another statement appeared that suggested the company had withdrawn these plans. According to the statement, the company’s chairman Mputumi Damane said: “We have just completed an extensive process of reviewing our corporate plans. One of the key outcomes of that process was a decision to reprioritise the areas around the country where we plan to devote our energies.