It may have lost its glitter, but it is not the end of the road for gold - mining executive

Having lost its long-held spot as a top gold producer on the continent and slipping off the global top 10 rankings, South Africa's gold production appears to be on the decline, but local miners remain optimistic about the future.

The optimism in the local gold mining sector was shared by some of the country's top mining executives on Thursday as they offered insight into the investment-deprived domestic market.

Issues pertaining to the country's perennial power challenges and legislative framework have made the sector less appealing to investors. However, those who have stayed the course appear to have taken the challenges in their stride.