Training and development opportunities help Delmas residents thrive

Exxaro’s commitment to its environmental, social and governance aims to enhance the impact it creates for its local communities

July 27, 2021

Amanda Botha 3 minutes read

Prudence Mhlongo and Vincent Mabanga both grew up in Delmas.

For these two residents, it is heart-breaking to see the socio-economic issues facing the town.

“The challenges facing my community are high unemployment, and with it the abuse of both alcohol and drugs,” says Mhlongo.

Both Mabanga and Mhlongo stand out as role models in the town, having navigated the many challenges through hard work and dedication, coupled with skills development opportunities to move up the ladder at Exxaro’s Leeuwpan mine.

Mabanga is a maintenance and engineering foreman and Mhlongo is a human resources officer after she joined as an intern after graduating from Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

Mhlongo and Mabanga are just two of many beneficiaries from host communities who have been part of the skills development programmes at Exxaro.

As a company with empowerment at its core, Exxaro lives its values through its commitment to investing in the development of residents from host communities to help them grow into future leaders.

In 2019/2020, groupwide the company invested a total of R298 million in job-related bursaries; scholarships and skills development opportunities for host communities around its 14 operations.

Another Delmas resident Shadi Mothapo became the first woman pit worker at the Leeuwpan mine, she worked her way up to being a truck driver in 2006.

“In 2016 when there was a vacancy at the Blasting Site I applied and luckily I was successful. I then had the opportunity to attend a two-week course at Wits University. This has helped me so much to qualify as a foreman.”

Leeuwpan Business Unit Manager Mangaliso Sethethi, says Exxaro believes in continuous learning and development.

“We are proud to be part of the impact that our skills development initiatives are having in all our communities. Education and training opportunities is one area where we can make a real difference.”

Mhlongo says this philosophy has helped her to grow as a person.

“I’m able to build my mom a house, I’m able to buy a car. And it’s something that I never personally imagined would ever happen to me, because of the unemployment rate.”

Two other locals who benefitted from Exxaro’s skills development programme are Tebogo Sekwane and Gugu Masango, who work at Belfast Coal.

Sekwane has a close connection with the area, “After Completing my matric at Morelig Combined School, I got a Plant Operator Learnership from Exxaro,” the Morelig Combined is less than 16 KM from Belfast Coal. When they talk about someone who is Belfast born and bred it is him.

Sekwane explains. “Exxaro hired me to be a Process Controller – they gave me this opportunity and I did not know that I would fall in love with the work that I was going to do. Currently, I am very happy and passionate about my job.”

Gugu Masango who equally benefitted from Exxaro’s skills development programme says that “When I finished my studies in IT and went back to stay at home for about a year, I got a learnership to be a Process Controller from Exxaro.”

Masango says being at Exxaro is very empowering, there is a lot that she has learned.

Growing up she has always been told that only men work in the plant.

But now she understands and believes that women are also capable.

What really empowered me was to have the skills to work at the plant… as a Foreman and be able to manage people, different people, “said Masango. I have also learned to treat people well. And to be able to do other work around the mine “. “Being at Exxaro has also boosted my confidence; For the longest time I did not believe in myself and kept on doubting myself. But being at Exxaro has taught me to do a lot of things.”

Exxaro’s commitment to its environmental, social and governance aims to enhance the impact it creates for its local communities.

It provides some much-needed hope during these challenging times. Importantly, they reaﬃrm the mining leader’s vision of applying its resources to powering a better life.

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