Mining Matters 2024

The Transformers project, initiated by the Boleng Trust in partnership with the Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine, the Department of Education in Limpopo and JumpStart SA Foundation, launched in the Ga-Malekane Community Hall on April 19.

The Project aims to build strong foundational skills in math and literacy and ensure readiness for academic success while creating job opportunities for the local youth.

The Transformers’ mathematics and literacy  programme will be implemented in primary schools and 10 Early Childhood Development Centres (ECD) in the Ngwaabe District and two primary schools in Mashishing. JumpStart, Penreach and Kelello are the implementing partners, with JumpStart as the lead organisation for the duration of the programme.

The project has sourced and employs 39 educator assistants (interns) from the Ngwaabe  and Mashishing districts who will work  with participating schools to implement the programme in the classrooms on a daily basis.

Dwarsrivier Chome Mine and the Boleng Trust have invested in several educational projects and within the community. “We’ve recognised the importance of investing in children during the foundation phase, as it has become evident that our students face challenges during matriculation and in their pursuit of higher education,” says Remember Mmbengwa, Sustainable Development Manager at DCM.

Boleng Trust’s Project Manager, Boitshwarelo Matundu, encouraged the interns to grab the opportunity as it is a platform to kickstart their careers.

“Go out there and do your best, remain dedicated to assisting the learners improve their results.”

Ngwaabe Circuit’s manager, Madikgake Masha, expressed confidence that the programme would elevate the standard of education in both circuits.

He welcomed JumpStart interns, emphasising the significance of addressing challenges in subjects like maths and English.

“Maths and English are some of the subjects troubling our pupils. With this initiative, we will be among the top achieving circuits in the country.”

Masha envisioned their circuits becoming top achievers nationally through this initiative. He entrusted JumpStart and Penreach to deliver outstanding results for local pupils.

The JumpStart Educator Assistants began their duties at local schools on Monday April 22.

Ever wondered exactly how the famous Merensky Reef around the town was discovered?

The name should be a dead giveaway. Hans Merensky, a German-South African geologist, prospector, scientist, conservationist and philanthropist, discovered the rich deposit of vast platinum and chrome reefs in Lydenburg, Rustenburg and Potgietersrus.

This in turn led to some of the largest platinum mines in the world -phosphates and copper in Phalaborwa in the Mpumalanga Lowveld, gold in the Free State, and the world’s biggest chrome deposit in Jagdlust near Polokwane.

Merensky was born at the Berlin Missionary Society Station in Botshabelo near Middelburg in the then Transvaal on March 16, 1871, where his father, Rev Alexander Merensky, a noted ethnographer and author, was the resident missionary.

Keenly interested in minerals and enjoying outdoor living, he studied mining geology after finishing his schooling in Germany.

He was awarded a Doctorate in Mining Geology from the University of Charlottenburg in Berlin. He completed his practical training in coal mines in the Saarland and in Silesia and began work for the Department of Mines in East Prussia.

In 1904, he came to South Africa to conduct some geological surveys in the Transvaal. He discovered tin near Pretoria and reported to the Premier Diamond Mine regarding possible mining prospects.

He worked for several mining companies, and Friedlaender & Co sent him to Madagascar to investigate a reported discovery of gold, which turned out to be false. He resigned from his job in Germany and moved to Johannesburg, where he became a successful consulting geologist.

In 1909, he visited the diamond fields of the then South West Africa and controversially predicted that diamonds would be found along the West Coast and south of the Orange River.

In 1913, Merensky lost his entire fortune due to the Depression, and was interned at a camp near Pietermaritzburg. During these financially difficult years, he enjoyed the support of Sir George Albu.

In 1924, he followed up the discovery of alluvial platinum by AF Lombard on his farm in Lydenburg and discovered its source in the Bushveld Igneous Complex, which set him on the road to financial recovery. This deposit eventually became known as the Merensky Reef, which contains 75% of the world’s known platinum resources.

In his final years, he lived unostentatiously on his farm Westfalia near Duiwelskloof in the Transvaal, where, with great hospitality and charm, he received local celebrities and foreign dignitaries.

He allotted the larger part of his fortune to the Hans Merensky Trust to ensure that his projects in agriculture, horticulture and forestry operations on the Westfalia Estate would continue after his death. He also established the Hans Merensky Library at the University of Pretoria.

In 2004, Martin Enlen directed a German-language movie called Platinum based on Hans Merensky’s life. Both overdubbed and subtitled English versions of this movie exist.

The Hans Merensky Wilderness, a protected area in Limpopo, is named after him.

South Africa produces more platinum and similar metals than any other nation. In 2005, 78% of the world’s platinum was produced in South Africa, along with 39% of the world’s palladium.

Since the post-Covid-19 economic rebound, South African mining companies have enjoyed record levels of performance and shareholder returns.

However, in the past year, there has been a regression experienced in these metrics due to several changes across the industry.

In a recent press release issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers International (PwC) regarding ‘South Africa’s 2023 SA Mine: Adapt to thrive’ report, the company took a closer look at some of the factors that include productivity and infrastructure constraints, decreases in the prices of certain minerals and increases in input costs.

“The amalgamation of these factors has resulted in a decrease in profits and operating cash flows experienced by South African mining companies. However, strong balance sheets have enabled miners to increase investment into operations and pay dividends,” Andries Rossouw, PwC Africa’s energy, utilities and resources leader, said.

According to Vuyiswa Khutlang, PwC SA’s energy, utilities and resources partner: “In most small towns where mining takes place, miners play a significant role in providing social services such as education, clean water and sanitation, and infrastructure,” she says.

“Therefore, the need to transition communities from being dependent on mines, reskilling employees and rehabilitating mines becomes a critical conversation for all stakeholders. This is especially important as some provinces have as little as six years of mining left based on currently declared reserves.”

PwC said on the employment front, the mining industry provides around
478 000 people with formal employment, according to data from Stats South Africa.

The sector also provides the country’s fiscus with critical income in the form of corporate taxes, mineral royalties and individual tax from employees within the sector.

The role of women in mining in South Africa is multifaceted, influenced by historical, social, economic and legislative factors. Historically, mining in South Africa has been dominated by men, with women primarily employed in ancillary roles such as cleaning, catering and administrative support.

However, according to the Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA), there has been a significant shift towards greater gender diversity and inclusion within the industry in recent years. Legislative changes, such as the South African Mining Charter, have played a crucial role in promoting gender equality in the mining sector.

The Mining Charter sets targets for the representation of women in mining companies, aiming to increase their participation in both management and operational roles. This has led to increased opportunities for women to enter traditionally male-dominated fields, such as engineering, geology and mine operations.

Furthermore, initiatives by various South African mining companies, government agencies and non-profit organisations have been instrumental in supporting women’s participation in the industry. These initiatives include scholarships, mentorship programmes and skills development initiatives aimed at providing women with the necessary training and support to succeed in mining careers.

According to the MCSA, despite these advancements, women in the South African mining sector still face numerous challenges.

Gender discrimination, unequal opportunities for career advancement and workplace safety concerns remain prevalent issues. Women are often underrepresented in leadership positions within mining companies, and there is a persistent gender pay gap in the industry.

The MCSA explains that although the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has had a convention in place since 1935 prohibiting the employment of women in underground mining work (Convention 54 of 1935), many countries that initially ratified it have since ‘denounced’ the convention.

These countries include Australia (1988), Canada (1978), Chile (1997) and South Africa (1996). These countries are now more likely to be signatories to the ILO’s Convention 176 (Safety and Health in Mines, 1995), which covers the rights of all workers.

Efforts to address these challenges include implementing policies and programmes to promote gender diversity and inclusion, providing training and support for women in mining, and advocating for the enforcement of labour laws and regulations that protect the rights of female workers. Additionally, there is a growing recognition of the importance of addressing broader societal issues, such as gender-based violence and childcare responsibilities, which can disproportionately affect women working in the mining sector.

The MCSA stated that South African women have played a key role in the country’s mining industry since long before they were legally allowed to work underground (from 1996 onwards). This meant they worked in a range of above-ground jobs before they were able to become underground employees.

Overall, the role of women in mining in South Africa is evolving, with increasing opportunities for them to contribute to and benefit from the industry’s growth.

However, concerted efforts are needed to overcome the remaining barriers to gender equality and ensure that women are fully integrated into all aspects of the mining workforce.