We believe that the development of enterprises is closely related to the sustainable development of communities. By embarking on local and inclusive procurement initiatives as well as local enterprise, supplier and youth empowerment, South Africa Zijin Platinum (Pty) Ltd hopes to contribute to long-term and sustainable economic growth for the mine communities.
Learnership Programme
Nkwe Platinum Limited has rolled out training for the National Certificate in Mining Operations for Underground Hard Rock NQF level 2 in two phases. The first intake saw seven (7) learners from Hoepakrantz (Mabhedla) and De Kom (Ga Komane) villages enrolled from the 30th of August 2021 for the twelve-month long learnership programme. The two-month learnership will empower learners with the technical knowledge and skills required to supervise teams in mining operations. The second intake is scheduled to commence in January 2022 for learners from Garatouw and Maandagshoek.
Seven learners from Hoepakrantz (Mabendla) and De Kom (Ga Komane) villages that are enrolled for a National Certificate in Mining Operations for Underground Hard Rock Level 2 learnership.
Local Economic Development
Garatouw Community Access Road
As part of its first generation Social and Labour Plan (SLP), Nkwe Platinum Limited integrated with the Municipality’s Development Plan to embark on the upgrade of the road from Boschoff hospital to Makhwai village. The village is located in the Maandagshoek area. Due to the poor roads, the community is challenged with access to health care services and schools. The dirt roads that the households of Garatouw use on a daily basis became increasingly unsafe over the rainy season and during periodic flooding.
The project entailed the upgrade of approximately 4km of the main community gravel road along the HC Boschoff Health Centre to the Makhwai village to a 6m wide dual lane sealed road and approximately 600m of local access gravel road to a 3m wide single lane sealed road leading to a Community Hall. The main road provides a link between the R37 north of Burgersfort through the community areas of Setshitshi and Ga Makhwai and linking to a main access road at Diphale. A total of R22 million was invested by Nkwe Platinum Limited in the upgrading of this Garatau Community Access Road.
Water Supply Project
In October 2020, the second generation SLP was approved, which will see further local economic development projects in the form of clean water supply to the local mine communities over the next few years. The company accelerated its water supply projects across the four communities of Garatouw, Maandagshoek, Hoepakrantz and De Kom as from the month of July 2021 to date. Water supply boreholes have been drilled at Maandagshoek, Garatouw and Hoepakrantz as part of phase 1 of the project and equipping of the boreholes with pumps, stands, Jojo tanks and taps is currently ongoing. Phase 2 of the water supply project will commence in January 2022.
Garatouw (at Ga Mpuru village) – Equipping and installation of Jojo tanks is at an advanced stage. Borehole awaits power connection by Eskom.
Fully equipped and operational water borehole at Ga Mabilo village (Garatouw).
Solar-Powered Water System
The pumps installed on the water borehole and storage tanks are powered by a complete solar system. In addition to providing round-the-clock water for the members of the community, the solar system also powers a security electric fence for the water supply infrastructure, making it a self-sustaining unit. The community will now have access to over 55,000 litres (continuous flow) of clean water from a pipeline which spans over 2 kilometres within the community. Taps and water troughs are stationed at various strategic points along the pipeline to cater for both the community and livestock.
The advantages of using water storage tanks include the allowance of instant water supply during any point of the day when the demand exceeds the water supply using the solar powered water pump. Emergency water storage is available from the water tanks, in case of pump failure or low irradiance (during mornings or evenings as well as on cloudy day). Also, this system has brought clean water to relatively dry sections of Ga -Mpuru village that had not intercepted any water during the company’s drilling campaign.
This solar-powered water system forms part of the second generation Social and Labour Plan, which enables Local Economic Development (‘LED’) projects in the form of clean water supply to the local mine communities over the next few years.
Nkwe Platinum Limited, launched its first solar powered water supply system for the Ga Mpuru Village in the Garatau community, situated next to the Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine.
Nkwe Platinum Hands SLP Water Supply Projects to Sekhukhune
The event that marked the completion of Nkwe Platinum Limited’s SLP water supply projects within its mining communities of Garatouw, Maandagshoek, De Kom and Hoepakrantz, which fall under the Makhuduthamaga and the Fetakgomo-Tubatse Local Municipalities.
A total of 31 boreholes were drilled and/or equipped for the water supply projects across all four of the Mine’s communities (Garatouw, Maandagshoek, De Kom and Hoepakrantz) and supported by the installation of 52 Jojo water tanks. This clean water supply is distributed to the communities via 92 water taps which are stationed at various strategic points to cater for both the community and livestock.
Nkwe Platinum Limited’s SLP water supply projects support 1742 households within the communities with 320 000 litres of water resources per day and have created a total of 72 job opportunities for members of these communities.
On 25th May 2023, Platinum Limited hosted a ceremony to hand over its Social and Labour Plan (SLP) Water Supply Projects to the Sekhukhune District Municipality.
Intern Success Stories
We are proud to announce that three of our interns have recently been offered permanent or fixed term contracts at the Mine. Here are their stories:
“My duties involve ensuring that everything is filed and kept up to date and making sure that monthly DMRE submissions are done on time. I was an intern so most of the things I learnt [was learnt] throughout my in-service training. It was a great experience and yea, I’ve learnt a lot. I got a lot of support from most of the employees. I would like to say thank you to Zijin for giving me this great opportunity, experience, and exposure. It has changed my life.”
Valencia Mabitla from Maandagshoek – was an intern and has now been appointed as a H&S Administrator as a Permanent role
“Some years back, there was an opening for a mining operator level 2 learnership. I applied for it and I was accepted. While doing the internship, I learnt and acquired experience in so many things, including data capturing. I worked at the training centre as a trainee assistant with Mr. Maritz. He taught me so many things. My internship concluded early in January this year, and then there was a vacancy for a control operator, and I applied for it. I was later called for an interview for the control room operator position. And now that I’m here, it means that I was one of the successful candidates to pass the interview.”
Salphy Madingoane from Garatau Farm – was an intern and has now been appointed as a Control Room Operator as a Permanent role.
“In 2022 last year, there was a learnership vacancy that was available that I was interested in, so I ended up applying for it. I was called for an interview. When the interview concluded, I learnt that I was one of the candidates who was successful. I did a learnership in mining operations hard rock breaking level 2. For six months, we studied the theory aspect of the learnership and did the practicals with the other remaining six months. Financially, this position has changed my life. I want to thank Zijin for this opportunity. They taught me how to crawl and navigate through my learnership until such time I could walk on my own”
Potego Komane from Ga-Mpuru Village – was on a Learnership programme and has now been appointed as a Steel Set Installer & Concrete Liner in a Fixed Term role.
Mining Paving Project
Nkwe Platinum Limited is committed to promoting local socio-economic development of its mining communities.
During a recent need for paving at the Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine, a community supplier from a local youth group was sourced to execute the project. This further enabled the Company to help develop local businesses within the area in which the Mine operates, and to empower them with professional experience.
On 25th May 2023, Platinum Limited hosted a ceremony to hand over its Social and Labour Plan (SLP) Water Supply Projects to the Sekhukhune District Municipality.