Communities, Social Performance and Responsible Mining in South Africa: A Critical Lens on Translating Aspirations into Transformational Outcomes

South Africa’s post-apartheid mining sector faces profound governance challenges, where entrenched power relations complicate implementing emergent regimes of ‘responsible mining’, as well as, communities and social performance (CSP). This challenge is critically urgent as international demand for Energy Transition Minerals (ETMs) drives new projects. Global standards promote CSP to engage vulnerable communities, distinguishing between transactional CSP (compliance-focused) and transformational CSP, which aims for sustainable, equitable development through trust-based partnership. This thesis addresses the persistent gap between these forms of CSP and their practical, contextualised implementation. The research analyses the process of CSP implementation by Orion Minerals Ltd at its exploration-stage ETMs mine in the Karoo Desert, assessing its potential for transformational outcomes. A modified community-based participatory research design was employed, using semi-structured interviews and a review of public and corporate documents. Approximately 70 knowledge holders across four relationally defined groups: Abantu (community), Ohlezi Esangweni (corporate), Mfumo (government), and Moemedi (intermediaries), were consulted. Data were analysed through reflexive qualitative thematic analysis within a power-sensitive critical realist framework. This approach integrated a conceptual model that centres on individuals operating within structural, socio-cultural and economic dimensions inseparable from the ecosystem (HUERN), to interpret the contextual factors shaping CSP. Findings reveal that engagement organised through corporately ‘invited’ spaces and one-way information flows produces civility without trust, reinforces asymmetries, and channels benefits unevenly. The potential for transformation increases with a shift towards ‘negotiated’ spaces, which requires developing intercultural competence and social intelligence, ensuring inclusive processes, transparent benefit-sharing, and accessible remedy. While the company has engaged specialist support, durable change necessitates embedding CSP competencies across all core functions. The thesis contributes an empirical, power-attentive account of CSP implementation in Energy Transition mining. Theoretically, it suggests a conceptual model (HuERN) and a contextual relational framework Ukuziqaphela (self-awareness), Boitšoaro (dialogue), Ubuntu (interconnectedness), and Amandla (agency) specifying indicators for equitable engagement. Practically, it offers guidance for integrating CSP into operations to secure social licence and enable transformational community development.