Mineworker Magazine Jan 2023

Editorial Team

Editor: Masanda Peter website: www.mineworker.co.za email: editor@mineworker.co.za

Design and Layout: Isaac Nii Moi Adotey Printing and Binding: Jetline Distribution: SA Mines

Editor’s Note

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.”

—Melody

This quote resonates with me in so many ways and maybe for some of you too. It’s a new year and like with all things new, we are looking forward to a fruitful and a year that will bring the best in all spheres of our lives. What has happened has happened but we still look forward to new beginnings. The New Year gives hope that we still have a chance to make it happen.

Having said that, there are people who may not share the same hopes and dreams because of their reality. The reality that not much has changed in their lives and where they are, things still look the same and there is nothing to look forward to. They just do not have the hope and it ends there. Another reality is that these may be people in the same area, same place, same house but their perspectives are different.

This means that we may not be looking at life the same way and our experiences are not the same and that is the reality of life. Now it may be up to the hopeful to reach out to the hopeless in order to pull each other towards the light. The reaching out and engaging with each other can help change the perspective and allow us to see the world in a new light. We need each other In this journey of life and we also need to be there for each other.

“And now we welcome the New Year. Full of things that have never been.” Rainer Maria Rilke.

On that note, allow me to introduce you to Mineworker magazine. A magazine for mineworkers. The magazine will stimulate engagements with mineworkers getting to understand the mining journey. This is a magazine that will look at a life of a mineworker holistically. Whether you are in the office or underground, this is a magazine for you.

The magazine is an easy read, magazine packed with information, success stories, real people and life stories, real news locally and abroad and analysis of the issues pertinent to mineworkers and mining industry. Every issue is put together with the mineworker in mind, looking at the life and times of mineworkers and much more. The voice of mineworkers will be heard and will be the most heard, so are the voices of industry experts and feedback from mineworkers and mining practitioners across the spectrum of the sector. We are doing this so that we can learn from each other and get to understand each other.

Communication and engagements remain the key element in society and without communication we run the risk of not understanding each other. We need to understand each other’s perspectives so that as we meet each other, we can know what the background, thoughts, needs and views of each other are for us to arrive as different viewpoints.

The understanding will help lubricate the communication process and allow us to learn from each other. What better way than have Mineworker magazine putting all of the different perspectives together so that we get to better understand each other and even better, know each other and how we live our lives. What better way for us to understand each other’s lives than seeing who we are in the different mines and what makes us who we are?

The mining communications structures are usually geographically constrained around individual mines. However, the mine of the future demands integrated company-wide communications across the entire reach of its operations – not just from pit to port, but across multiple field sites, and city-based corporate offices and to the belly of the earth where the mineworkers are.

This is the journey Mineworker Magazine will take together with mineworkers. Communication is fundamental to the existence and survival of humans as well as to an organization. It is a process of creating and sharing ideas, information, views, and facts, feelings from one place, person or group to another.

What can the industry benefit from these engagements and interactions?

1. Achievement of industry goals centred around preserving human life

2. Basis of Co-ordination

3. Fluent Working environments

4. Basis of Decision Making

5. Increases Managerial Efficiency

6. Increases Cooperation and Organizational Peace

7. Boosts Morale of the Employees

Let us get to know each other, let us learn from each other and let us engage and share information with each other. There are mines that have achieved millions of fatality free shifts, in the process saving lives. We need to share those learnings and let us share that information, there are mines whose production targets are achieved without compromising the safety of mineworkers – let the mineworkers share on how they have achieved that. Where the one cannot, the other one can and it is in this spirit that mineworker collaboration and engagements become critical because we all have something to teach each other.

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.

George Bernard Shaw”

As the saying goes “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” - Translated from isiZulu as ‘a person is a person through other people’. The deeper meaning is to always believe in community and unity. It is based on the premise that in this world you are not alone, we all interdependent of each other and the power of knowing that is impactful, I am because you are.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together”. The understanding of how human beings working together produces infinitely great achievements. It is the enrichment of the community as well as the self, because the self is part of the community.

Mineworker magazine is bringing a community of mineworkers together and together we will do this. I am your brother, I am your sister, you matter and we are in this together.

In this introductory issue, we have shared our contact details. We also have an advertising and editorial platform to help you showcase your products and services to the mining industry. Share your stories with us, your views and perspectives are most welcome. Remember, we are engaging and learning from each other – teach us and tell us what you know and we will also share with others. The human chain of knowledge will be formed and we

can walk this journey understanding each other.

Mineworker magazine will cover stories from all mines in South Africa and across the globe. We will be where we are needed and you will see the face of the mineworkers and get to understand the lives of the mining industry valuable stakeholders. The magazine will be published on a quarterly basis and the dates have been shared including the schedules for stakeholders who may want to share information with the industry.

You will see us at industry events and we will ensure that we bring you the news as they happen. We would like to hear from you, please visit and follow us on our social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube channel and also check visit our website www.mineworker.co.za if you want to chat with us, email us at editor@mineworker.co.za

You may want to listen to what mineworkers have to say – we have a Podcast which we will be sharing with you on our platforms and you will hear mineworkers engaging with all of us, sharing their stories.

As the Mineworker magazine Teamwe present to you Mineworker Magazine-the VOICE of mineworkers.

Until the next issue Masa Editor: Mineworker Magazine

As we start the year many have dreams and wishes both person and looking into their careers as well. Mineworker magazine asked a few mineworkers on what they are looking forward to in 2023.

Brian Ncube, Programme Manager from the Mine Health and Safety Council – thank you for this opportunity to wish the South African Mining Industry a productive, and most importantly, a safe 2023 as we start the year.

Provisional statistics from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) indicate that 48 fatalities have been reported as of the 19th of December 2022, the DMRE is still to confirm this. If indeed 48 fatalities have been reported in the 2022, this would mark the lowest number of fatalities ever reported in the South African Mining Industry.

This improvement would be a result of the collaborative efforts by all stakeholders in the sector, including Government, Mining companies, and Organised Labour formations amongst others.

I would like to urge all stakeholders to continue in this collaborative spirit in areas such as research, technology and culture transformation to reach the goal of

Best wishes from Mineworkers

Zero Harm in the near future. Sonwabo Msezeli, an ex-mineworker from Flagstaff in the Eastern Cape, – my wish for 2023 is for all of us to be patient with each other, to be truthful and want to do well for the country.

To the mining industry – the owners of the mining companies, the workers, Unions need to be unified and work together and most importantly listen to each other in order for jobs to be preserved and to eliminate retrenchments in the mines.

Caroline Motloung, a mine worker from the North West – I wish that in 2023, matters concerning women in mining could be taken seriously. We are mothers and sisters and we need that to be recognised while working in the mines.

I wish all the women in the mining industry a safe time and that their plans and dreams come true. We are working in one of the toughest industries but we are making it work and I was to tell them not to lose hope. Let us continue to work hard and worj for our families and children.

Malibongwe igama lamakhosikazi!

A safe

Investing in Africa Mining Indaba 2023

The Mining Indaba is the world’s largest mining investment conference, with a long and illustrious history in Africa’s industry calendar, and has a truly global audience, spanning Australia, South Asia, Europe and North America. It brings together junior, mid-tier, and big mining firms and investors, and is Africa’s largest meeting of mining ministers and presidents.

In 2023, the mining community will be coming together again deliberating on pertinent issues regarding the mining industry. Investing in African Mining Indaba (Mining Indaba) is solely dedicated to the successful capitalisation and development of mining interests in Africa.

Succeeding for over 27 years, Mining Indaba has a unique and widening perspective of the African mining industry, bringing together visionaries and innovators across the entire value chain. Additionally, Mining Indaba continues to support education, career development, sustainable development, and other important causes in Africa.

Attending the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba gives you access to: Access to all hard-hitting discussions, debates, and keynotes with world-leading speakers. Exhibition entry. Access to the AI-powered business matchmaking platform and matchmaking lounge. High-quality networking with senior industry leaders. An unmatched level of deal-making opportunities.

To follow the 2023 Investing in Africa Mining Indaba, visit their website on https://miningindaba.com

As well as contributing R156m to South African GDP (of which 73% was from international sources), it generated 214 full-time annual job equivalents in the country and contributed R19m to national taxes.

There are great speakers lined up for the duration of the Indaba, namely –Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy from South Africa, Mr Gwede Mantashe, Adiki Ayitevie from Newmont Corporation, CEO of Anglo American, Duncan Wanblad, Professor Glen Nwaila from Wits Mining Institute, Frans Baleni, Chair of the Advisory Board, Ministers of Mining/Mineral Resources from the Republic of Botswana, Ethiopia, Central African Republic CAR, Sierra Leone, Republic of Zambia to name a few.

What would be most interesting to hear from these engagements is how the mineworker community future looks as there are developments in the mining industry? How is the whole mining value chain going to benefit, adjust and acclimatise itself

to the technology and other developments from the industry?

Follow us on our social media pages and we shall cover the mining indaba in the March issue of Mineworker magazine.

Next issue

In the next issue be on the lookout for An interview with an ex mineworker News in Brief Economists view Mining industry overview Ask the experts Events calendar – local and international All news mineworkers and much more… We want to hear from you. Send your letters to editor@mineworker.co.za marked “Letter to the editor” Be part of the conversation!

more than to mineworker