For any other South Africans who are reading this who are still living in SA - I speak to you with a sincerity of a South African who has lived here all his life.. I was born here, I have been schooled here. Yes, South Africa is a beautiful country. But you see what has been happening in our land, politically and racially.. You see how little there is left of our country. There is no hope for our children and in fact any young adult wishing to make a success out of his/her life. What type of a life are we living in if we are having to watch over our shoulders at every turn?
I urge you - get out while you still can, even if it means starting over. Do not become a statistic that is reported on the news. Josh, Atlas reader in South Africa
ANCYL president Julius Malema has defied a court ruling and has sung the revolutionary song 'Kill the Boer.'
Mining groups fear backlash in South Africa Telegraph hat tip Laura
London-listed mining companies are bracing themselves for a wave of ethnic violence in South Africa as tensions escalate following the murder of notorious far-right politician Eugene Terreblanche.
The white supremacist leader was hacked to death at his Transvaal farm on Saturday – the same day that a senior member of the African National Congress (ANC) called for the nationalisation of all South Africa's foreign-owned mines.
Speaking in Zimbabwe on Saturday, Julius Malema, leader of the influential ANC Youth League, said South Africa's mines should be returned to black ownership.
They have exploited our minerals for a very long time. We want the mines, now it's our turn," Mr Malema said.
Most of the UK-listed miners have significant interests in South Africa, particularly Anglo American, but Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Xstrata all have major assets within the country. Anglo American has majority stakes in many of the country's miners, including Anglo Platinum and Kumba Iron Ore. These four mining companies make up more than 10pc of the FTSE 100.
Widespread violence could lead to disrupted mine output, analysts said, potentially causing spikes in some commodity prices.
"This is one of the biggest threats to the South African mining industry today," one senior executive told The Daily Telegraph, although they declined to be named.
According to the South African Department of Minerals and Energy, the country has about 85pc of global reserves of platinum, which is used to make catalytic converters for vehicles.
It also has almost 80pc of the world's reserves of manganese and 73pc of global chrome stocks, which is used in the manufacture of stainless steel.
The country also has significant reserves of gold, zirconium and titanium.
"If South Africa adds to the problems it already has, investment is going to go elsewhere," John Meyer, head of mining at broker Fairfax said. "Other African countries such as Mozambique and Burkina Faso are opening up to foreign investment. South Africa's main advantage is its infrastructure, but these developments could prompt companies to look to safer countries to invest."
The outspoken Mr Malema, who has praised the farm seizures of Robert Mugabe, is widely blamed for stoking violence against white farmers after singing a controversial apartheid-era song which includes the line "kill the Boer".
He has been calling for nationalisation for the last three months, prompting Susan Shabangu, South Africa's respected mining minister, to say that a state takeover of the industry would not happen "in her lifetime". She said that Mr Malema was merely stretching his "intellectual muscles".
