Implats CEO denies racism allegations

Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) procurement processes are subject to extensive governance processes and scrutiny by various committees, according to Implats Rustenburg CEO Mark Munroe.

Responding to questions by The Citizen on charges by black owned companies in Luka village about Implats failing to empower and procure services from black-owned local firms, Munroe said the company had “a cross-section of professional and subject matter experts who dissect the award procurement orders”, with race not being an issue.

“All sourcing events are widely advertised to the mine communities and they are provided with a preferential scoring advantage in all sourcing events.

“All companies are treated equally, with the exception of mine host communities who benefit from our preferential procurement and localisation policies.

“After the award, all persons coming to work at the mine must follow the same stringent set of rules in accordance with the Mine Health and Safety Act and Regulations, which determines the various types of tests and functional performance that individuals must attain to work at the mine.

“There is, therefore, no discrimination in the tests that each person must take,” said Munroe.

On accusations that relatives of some of the mine employees were employed at the whiteowned service provider companies, with service providers rewarded through an increase in the scope of work, Munroe said Implats adhered to “strict policies that regulate ethical behaviour at all times”.

Said Munroe: “Every employee must, accordingly, declare when relatives work for service providers and must recuse themselves from any potential conflict of interest position.

“Failure to do so can be reported to our independent whistleblower reporting line and, when substantiated, result in serious sanctions to implicated parties.”

Asked why the platinum group metals tailings dam, said to belong to the Luka community, had tailings processed by Implats without community benefit, Munroe responded: “The number 1 and 2 tailings dams have always and continue to belong to the mine, through registered mining right by the Department of Mineral Resources – ref No NW 30/5/1/2/2/130, 131, 133MR.

“In terms of this right, the mine has the sole right to mine these old tailings dams, situated within the mining rights area.”

On why mining contractor MMM Mining was awarded a mining contract at 1 shaft, without the local community being consulted, he said: “Impala investigated the possibility of outsourcing the mining activities at 1 shaft some years ago, but withdrew this tender at a later stage.

“Subsequently, we have restarted some mining through a new process. However, there is no mining of any other company’s mining ground undertaken at our 1 shaft.”

On charges that the company failed to empower the Luka community, Munroe said: “Mining near Luka ended more than a decade ago. But the mine continues to monitor potential impacts on the community, working with community leaders and groups.”

– brians@citizen.co.za