Solutions and strategies for the fast-moving African mining industry

The annual GC Forum Extractives in Cape Town, held alongside Mining Indaba, is a unique opportunity for African mining and energy in-house counsel to gather with other stakeholders that goes beyond traditional networking, says Alida Rossouw. 

“The GC Forum sessions reflect a lot of what’s happening in the in-house counsel space, and cover topics that broadly relate to business stakeholders, financing partners, government relationships and external lawyers, without the dilution associated with marketing pitches,” says Alida, the Senior Legal Advisor at Vedanta Zinc International.

Alida has worked in various cross-functional roles within international mining companies operating in Africa for the past seven years, after beginning her career with a specialist construction, mining, and energy law firm in South Africa. 

As an in-house lawyer, she attended last year’s pioneering GC Forum | Governance, Risk & Compliance, along with the long-running GC Forum Extractives. Next month, on 11 February, Alida will be part of an expert panel discussion that will explore “Financing the Transition: Carbon-Based Fuels & the Future of African Investment”.

The GC Forums, hosted by Africa Legal, go beyond the rare opportunity to rub shoulders with peers and seniors in the mining and energy industries, says Alida. They are forums for practical debates regarding strategies and solutions in fast-moving industries. 

“It also allows cross-pollination of good ideas, and plenty of food for thought that you can take back to your own business. I have implemented some of the ideas that were shared in these forums. I do like that.” 

The GC Forums widen your ‘world’, says Alida, noting that the day covers topical issues and creates a space for frank conversations about regional realities. 

Under the theme “Africa’s Critical Core | Minerals, Markets and Global Collaboration”, next month’s GC Forum will explore how shifting geopolitics, new investment flows and evolving legal frameworks are reshaping Africa’s extractives future, and advance the conversation toward Africa’s growing influence in the global energy transition.

The energy transition is not something that in-house counsel in Africa or internationally can just think away, says Alida. Everyone must face the changes that are occurring, from power purchase agreements to how property rights are approached and registered. It’s imperative for in-house counsel to keep up with the industry, and become involved at an earlier, strategic stage to unlock optimal benefits for their businesses. 

“The importance of involving General Counsel in strategy has become far more relevant, in terms of guiding execution approaches on various topics, whether contracting models that change within organisations, property or environmental law, whatever the case may be,” says Alida. “I think having your in-house counsel involved from inception can help to create a model that has less risk, or that only accepts the risks with which the business is comfortable.”

It is also important, says Alida, for lawyers - whether in-house counsel or external counsel - to realise businesses can view risk differently. Something lawyers may consider ‘high risk’, may not be considered as risky by a company CEO or senior management, compared to some issues they regularly deal with. 

“That was highlighted in one of the discussions held at the GC Forum last year,” says Alida, noting the broad range of stakeholders that are present, and the shared learning and cross-pollination of ideas that goes on, alongside the networking.

For more more information on the GC Forum | Extractives, including further details of our speakers and 2026 agenda, please visit the website here. 

This event is free to attend for mining and energy GCs and in-house legal teams; mining and energy professionals in leadership, risk and compliance roles; government relations, policy and regulatory professionals; investors and financiers in the mining and energy sectors; NGOs and academia. Registration is closed to non sponsoring law firms. 

To attend please register here.