SOUTH AFRICAIssue No.5Sept 2010

the

MA

GA

ZIN

E

Athe

Athe

MA

GA

ZIN

E

A MA

GA

ZIN

E

SOUTH AFRICA Issue No. 5 October 2010

b | OctOber 2010

04 08 12 16 20 24 26In thIs Issue

Facts, stats and

news in a nutshell

Interim results; Anglo Platinum appoints new chairman; exploring the new Group brand; awards and accolades.

a nation “doing”

Special feature by Julia Fourie, chief executive officer of venture capital company, HBD.

innovation in mind

It’s a way of thinking – Anglo Research; Kumba construction goes off-site; team beats production targets; from efficient miner to value-added supplier.

innovation in

practice

A processing perspective; better blasting control; profit from by-products; Sishen digs deep.

innovation in

saFety

Leading the safety charge; Polokwane project rolled out; new collision- avoidance system; 1,000 LTI-free days and counting.

OctOber 2010 | 1

the

ma

ga

zin

e

a04 08 12 16 20 24 26

innovative

partnerships

Bon Accord project pushes ahead; Thermal Coal partners with DMR; big future for small business in Nelspruit.

innovation in

communities

Addressing the skills shortage in Witbank; National Archive Heritage building gets an upgrade.

02 | OctOber 2010

message

Following the launch of the new Anglo American brand, it seems fitting that the theme of this issue of the A Magazine is innovation – one of the key pillars upon which our brand is built.

As one of Anglo American’s guiding values, innovation is integral to the way in which we operate. When unpacking this value, some very important themes come to light. At Anglo American, we challenge the way things have always been done. We are open to new approaches, we encourage new ways of thinking, and we find new ways to dramatically improve our business and the use of our resources. We learn from our own experiences and that of others, and develop future-orientated solutions. The imagination and expertise of our people help us find better ways of working and we innovate with them, as a collective, to leverage on their strengths and move our company forward.

This issue of the A Magazine is dedicated to this value and highlights the very stories that make Anglo American a place of excellence and innovation.

Our Mining and Technology team has been responsible for many pioneering innovations, some created by us alone and some created through a process of collaboration for best effect. However, as you will come to understand as you read through the pages of this issue, inventiveness is not confined to one area. It has helped to improve the way we find, extract and process commodities, and the way we do business.

You will read about our successes and the challenges we face and how we are working towards delivering a safer, cheaper and more sustainable way of operating. You will hear from our experts what their definitions and philosophies of innovation are, how they are delivering on our strategies moving forward and where best practice has been applied across our operations.

The A Magazine has also gone through its own cycle of innovation in line with our newly launched Anglo American corporate identity, which has seen a transformation of the way we communicate, look and hope to be positioned in the marketplace.

Whether it is the safety and productivity of our operations, the health of our people, or the transformation of an industry, we know how to apply the best minds in the business to deliver common sense day-to-day improvements alongside major changes that move the world of mining forward.

And that’s what it means to be innovative.

From godFrey gomwe,

executive director of Anglo AmericAn, South AfricA

OctOber 2010 | 03

An employee seen at the engineering skills training centre, at Platinum’s Unki Mine

“At Anglo American, we challenge the way things have always been done, we are open to new approaches and encourage new ways of thinking ... the imagination and expertise of our people help us to find better ways of working and we innovate with them, as a collective, to leverage on their strengths and move our company forward.”

Godfrey Gomwe,

executive director of

Anglo American, South Africa

04 | OctOber 2010

Facts, stats & news In a nutshell

The technology implemented at the eMalahleni treatment plant near Witbank – which treats mine wastewater to drinking quality levels – could be a way forward for government to tackle

the impending water crisis caused by acid mine drainage in the Witwatersrand basin.

Parliament’s portfolio committee on water and environmental affairs toured the plant recently, following an examination of the problems caused by acid mine drainage near Springs’ Grootvlei mine in Gauteng.

eMalahleni executive mayor, Linah Malatjie, who welcomed the committee to the city, described the plant as an “international icon that has significantly reduced the water challenges faced by the local authority”.

a solution to south africa’s water crisis?

“Keep up the good work. the lives of ordinary people depend on you for survival.”

maGGie Sotyu, member of Parliament’s portfolio committee on water and environmental affairs

As of 1 September, Cynthia Carroll has taken over as chairman of Anglo Platinum Limited (“Platinum”). This follows Fred Phaswana’s resignation, and continues the approach of drawing Platinum’s chairman from the Anglo American board.

The board has also appointed Valli Moosa as deputy chairman and lead independent non-executive director and chairman of the governance committee. Moosa replaces Tom Wixley, who served in that role for nine years and who will continue in his role as an independent non-executive director and chairman of the remuneration committee.

of PlatinumaPPointeD

“We are delighted to welcome cynthia and Valli to their new roles and I look forward to their continued advice, support and leadership as we continue to deliver on our strategy. I have worked closely with cynthia since I became ceO of Platinum, during a time in which we achieved the significant restructuring and operational turnaround of the world's leading platinum company.”

Neville Nicolau, chief executive officer of Anglo American’s platinum operations

“I am delighted to accept the role of chairman of Platinum and I look forward to leading the board in support of the management team’s strategy that is in place to deliver maximum value to all of Platinum’s shareholders.”

cyNthia carroll, chief executive of Anglo American

01 Cynthia Carroll, chairman of Anglo Platinum Limited

02 Peter Gunther, regional manager of hydrology at Thermal Coal, with members of Parliament’s portfolio committee on water and environmental affairs

02

01

new chairman

03 Part of the Boschoek conveyor and silo system at Boschfontein West, in Rustenburg

iN Brief:l An excellent first half to the

year, driving significantly higher operating profit and earnings, and delivering on strategic objectives.

l Operating profit for the six months was $4.1 billion and underlying earnings were $2.2 billion, more than double the comparative period last year on both measures.

l The dividend has been reinstated. This is a reflection of improved operating performance and financial position, as well as the progress on non-core asset sales and a supportive medium-term outlook.

l Continued success in asset optimisation and procurement, with a run rate of $1 billion, well on target to reach the intended $2 billion by 2011.

group performance highlights for the six months ended 30 June 2010

“Our businesses are operating strongly under our new organisational structure, our cost and efficiency programmes continue to deliver ahead of expectations, our divestment programme is well under way and we continue to make further progress on our safety performance.”

cyNthia carroll, chief executive of Anglo American

$4.1 billionGroup operating profit from core operations. underlying earnings were $2.2 billion, and underlying earnings per share were $1.84.

$1 billionthe run rate from core businesses for the six-month period, with asset optimisation and procurement programmes ahead of expectations.

$0.25the interim dividend per share.

$2.2 billion Proceeds from agreed divestments announced to date.

38%reduction in fatalities compared with the same period in 2009.

30%improvement in lost-time injury rates compared with the same period in 2009.

OctOber 2010 | 05

financial highlights

03

06 | OctOber 2010

Facts, stats & news In a nutshell

artistic and cultural spon-sorships are simply good business. They are good for the artists, who gain

business acumen and knowledge, and good for companies, which use these partnerships to achieve philan-thropic objectives and build corporate image.

This was evident at the 13th annual Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) awards in August, where 12 innovative business and arts partnerships were recognised for their scope, impact and ability to

make a difference. Winners included companies like Bakgat Movers, who became the transport sponsor of the Suidoosterfees; The Grand Daddy Hotel in Cape Town, for its ‘Daddy Bloom’ initiative; and Modern Autohaus BMW in Polokwane, for its Mo-bil-ity: Artists in Residence programme.

The Chairman’s Premier Award went to the South African Schools’ Festival (sponsored by the Grahamstown Foundation, Standard Bank and Sasol Ltd), which benefits more than 6,000 learners annually.

the art of gooD business

faSt fact

This year’s BASA awards also marked the official opening of the historic National Treasures Exhibition, a celebration of the 100-year-old collection of the Johannesburg Art Gallery, which opened to the public on certain days in September and October.

“We are a long-standing supporter of arts and culture in South Africa, and are immensely proud of our partnership with the bASA Awards.”

PraNill ramchaNder, media relations and external

communications manager at Anglo American, South Africa

01 Deputy minister of arts and culture Paul Mashatile, with Ndebele artists Esther Mnungi and Esther Mahlangu, who were part of the Africa meets Africa project – winner of the ‘Increasing Access to the Arts’ category at this year’s Business Day BASA awards

02 Miners at the Goedehoop colliery look through the pre-use checklist of one of the roofbolters

Mati Ndhlovu of Clarendon Girls High School in the Eastern Cape, is the deserving winner of the coveted title of Anglo American’s ‘Young Communicator of the Year’. She also received a bursary of R30,000 and a cash donation of R10,000 for her school.

National finalists Siyabulela Ramba of the Western Cape province was crowned the first runner-up, winning a bursary of R20,000 and R7,000 for Sea Point High School, while Engel Ngobe of Sitintile Senior Secondary in Mpumalanga province was honoured as second runner-up.

The annual South African competition is open to grade 11 and 12 learners at recognised public schools who do not speak English as their first language. The competition requires contestants to deliver a prepared speech on a topic of their choice as well as a short impromptu speech as part of a panel discussion.

we coulD not have saiD it better!

“this is not just another speaking contest; it is an investment in the youth of South Africa that will deliver tremendous results in the future. At Anglo American we recognise that a key factor to building a country that prospers, lies in empowering our youth and creating a platform for them to dream – and dream big – to make a sustainable difference in South Africa.”

Godfrey Gomwe, executive director

of Anglo American, South Africa

01

OctOber 2010 | 07

Built on the results of more than 400 extensive interviews with internal and external

stakeholders and an internal survey to which thousands responded, this new brand reflects the key characteristics of who Anglo American is, and how we work.

Although we form one company and operate as a single entity, our business units and sites have, to date, presented themselves under a variety of different names and identities. This was confusing to a lot of people outside the business, which is why, from now on, all our business units have adopted the Anglo American name and identity. After all, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and when you are the fourth- or fifth-largest mining company by market capitalisation, why would you

undermine that position by taking a fragmented approach?

When people hear our name we want them to think of three words:1. Mining: we are a real mining

company, pure and simple.2. People: our people are recognised

for their expertise, and are proud to be working for a mining company.

3. Difference: we make a sustainable difference in the countries and communities where we operate.

We are already living and breathing the values that underpin our brand position. These are shared across the business and are embedded in the way we do things. It is easy to overlook the daily achievements we make as a result of living these values, and to miss the connection with ‘making a difference’. But that’s what we do every day and our new brand position reflects this.

new looK, new feel, same values

In July, Anglo American launched its new brand – one that reflects an organisation that is changing to be more inclusive and people focused. Here’s what the brand is all about, and why.

who we are:

l Our people are known to have a particular set of strengths and we are at our best when we play to these strengths every day.

l We have courage in our convictions. We are confident that our intellectual capital and the rigour we use in our daily work set an industry standard.

l We always strive to operate in an informed way, with unwavering commitment to do what is right for all our stakeholders, rather than serving the interests of a few.

l We are defined by our ideas and our ability to innovate.

l We are characterised by the way we engage with the world around us and work in partnership with people. We solve problems and create value by collaborating.

l When we connect people of different backgrounds, disciplines, expertise and experience, we solve bigger problems and create even more value.

of investors will be ‘very likely’ and 24% ‘somewhat likely’ to invest in a company based on the impression they have of it.

47%

02

a natIon ‘doIng’

a nation ‘Doing’

08 | OctOber 2010

a nation ‘Doing’

Innovation is often

interpreted to mean

invention, when in fact

this is only a step in the

process, argues

Julia Fourie, guest writer

and chief executive

officer of local venture

capital company, Here

be Dragons (HbD). In the

following article, Fourie

offers her opinion on

the role of innovation in

South African business,

and how the private

sector could – and should

– be supporting it.

A ll innovation starts with an idea – a spark of inspiration that fires up the neurons and unlocks the imagination. But ideas and creativity on their own are not enough. For true innovation to occur, something more is required: the idea must be put into action to make a genuine difference.

To be innovative, you therefore sometimes need to think differently. While the term ‘innovation’ suggests invention, it also suggests a change in the thought process for doing something, and/or the useful application of inventions or discoveries. In other words, an innovation might be based on an existing product or item that is simply manufactured differently to enable it to last longer, cost less, or perform better. To an end-user this might not seem innovative, but to the business that benefits, it is.

When discussing the concept of innovation from an economic perspective, it is important to examine the role of entrepreneurship and specifically the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. The United States is a prime example of a country in which the bulk of the GDP comes from the small business sector. In fact, in South Africa it is estimated that close to half of our GDP does too1. One shouldn’t disregard the significance of this. An economy needs a constant source of fresh, new ideas being added to the mix in order to sustain itself and grow. This means new products and services, and new start-ups. Successful, innovative and inspiring businesses aren’t always small, but that is how they start, and without a steady new flow of these, an economy stagnates.

The challenge we face in South Africa is that as much as our economy needs the income and job creation that the small business sector provides, our regulatory environment, along with a lack of access to funding, can make it difficult for SMEs to get up and running.

Traditionally, local SMEs have only had one place to turn for start-up funding, and that is the banks. However, our banking models are not geared for this type of high-risk financing. Unless the business owner in question is fortunate enough to have private funds, or can put up collateral in the form of his or her own assets, securing the funds he or she needs from a bank is extremely difficult.

This problem is not unique to South Africa. SME financing in emerging markets worldwide has historically been branded as a social mission, largely served by social capital such as grants from foundations. Fortunately, investors have begun to take notice of a new trend. In an article published on www.africa.com, authors J Skyler Fernandes and Lena Sene explain that over the past five to ten years, the SME finance landscape has broadened in both capital types (grants, debt, quasi-equity, equity) and focus (ranging from social impact, purely returns- driven, and a balance between the two). This evolution is critically important because filling the ‘SME finance gap’ will require all types of capital, serving a variety of business models and stages of business development.

In South Africa, this is starting to show in the growing number of venture capital companies. When HBD was first formed it was one of very few such companies in the country – now each year brings new entrants. People, government and industries in general are increasingly aware of the types of financial and business support entrepreneurs need, and slowly but surely, more

OctOber 2010 | 09

01

1 According to a 2001 report ‘SMEs’ Access to Finance in South Africa – a Supply-Side Regulatory Review’ by the task group of the policy board for financial services and regulation, www.treasury.gov.za accessed September 2010.

10 | OctOber 2010

a natIon "doIng"

options are opening up.Encouraging this trend, however,

requires support from all sectors, the state being one of them. For example, in the United States, ‘angel investors’ who provide money to start-up companies can write it off in their tax returns. Not only does this lower their financial risk, but it also provides a healthy incentive for more investors to do the same. In the past year, South Africa has taken steps to implement similar incentives, which is an encouraging move forward.

Financing is only one of many challenges, however, and when it comes to innovation – putting good ideas to work – South Africans are surprisingly hesitant. We are an extremely inventive nation and a lot of great ideas and world firsts have sprung from our shores: the invention of the CAT scan, the first successful heart transplant, the world’s first oil-from-coal refinery and

the development of ATM technology, among others. Clearly there is no shortage of creative ideas. However, this is often where it appears to stop, and as a result, local innovation doesn’t get the credit it deserves. There are a number of reasons for this. For example, inventors might choose to sell their ideas, which are then commercialised elsewhere, leading people to assume the idea originated in a different country. In other cases, an idea might originate in South Africa, but the owner chooses to establish the business elsewhere – perhaps in a market more suited to that particular invention – again resulting in people not realising that it is a locally born innovation. In this way,

South Africans tend to miss out on the kudos, inspiration and encouragement that such creativity usually brings.

This tendency is exacerbated by the fact that the commercialisation of a great idea is hard work – and it is expensive. It is not something entrepreneurs should tackle on their own, but all too often, this is exactly what happens. The results of group efforts consistently exceed that of individuals and yet we persist in trying to take on the challenge of building a new business or developing a new product by ourselves. We resist bringing in partners – possibly out of fear that someone might steal the idea or concept.

This is where established

a natIon ‘doIng’

01 Previous page: Miners at Kriel colliery prepare to start a shift

02 A team at Goedehoop colliery receives basic safety instructions

03 Thembelani Ndzenze, a professional in training at Sishen South, Kumba Iron Ore

02

“supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and ultimately small business growth is not, and should not, be a responsibility. but it certainly is an opportunity – an incredible opportunity to match the right people, skills, needs and opportunities in mutually beneficial partnerships.”

OctOber 2010 | 11

businesses can make a difference. It has been suggested that corporates in South Africa have a responsibility to support innovation, entrepreneurship and ultimately small business growth. I don’t agree. It is not, and should not, be a responsibility. But it certainly is an opportunity – an incredible opportunity to match the right people, skills, needs and opportunities in mutually beneficial partnerships. The kind of partnerships that enable both parties to achieve their own growth and social objectives, while meeting a very real business need and in doing so contributing to a vibrant, flourishing economy.

By definition, partnerships are about mutual gain, not handouts or charity, and no partner (big or small) should ever be embarrassed to ask what’s in it for them. When two businesses have the right connection, coupled with an intelligent matching of tasks to capabilities, they can both achieve far more than they would on their own. We have proven that partnerships work, and yet very few SMEs have partnerships – or at the least the right type of partnership – in place. This is often why they fail.

The answer lies in finding a good fit and then committing to making that partnership work as seamlessly and smoothly as possible.

Once again, this is where established businesses could play a more active role. The very strict systems and administrative procedures that are used to keep order and good governance in large organisations are often straitjackets for SMEs. Long approval processes, slow payment cycles and extensive tender and paperwork requirements can cripple the smaller suppliers in any procurement chain. While there is good reason for having the systems on which big businesses rely, there needs to be greater flexibility within

these systems to cater for SMEs. Not only does this aid in SMEs’ cash flow management and give them better access to work opportunities, but it also makes it easier for large businesses to identify and retain exactly the right type of small supplier.

Another vital aspect of partnerships is information sharing. There are skills and talents associated with turning innovations into viable businesses that are not taught in schools or university, and which only come with practical experience. Every participant in a sound business partnership has particular experience, knowledge and business acumen, which – when shared – ensures that each partner emerges from that relationship stronger.

But even great partnerships are not enough on their own to boost innovation to the levels we need in our country, which brings me back to the point about culture, attitude and making innovation part of the South African mindset. There are five things that every South African business, regardless of size, should be doing:1. Acknowledge innovation as a key part of your business. Make it part of your strategy.2. Provide real incentives to the people within your business to promote innovative thinking. This could start with something as simple as a permanent ‘ideas box’ with cash or in-kind rewards for the best suggestions.3. Encourage expression. In order to ‘live’ innovation, business leaders need to understand the natural reluctance of people to share their ideas. Encourage and incentivise staff, and create a forum in which everyone can communicate their suggestions without fear or ridicule. 4. Remember that ideas bubble from the bottom up. People on the shop floor who deal with the same

authorJulia fourieFourie is the chief executive officer of HBD – a South African Venture Capital Fund founded by Mark Shuttleworth in 2000. HBD (an acronym for ‘Here Be Dragons’ – a term used in ancient times to mark uncharted territories on maps) offered growth capital to a range of early stage businesses. The fund is now fully invested and its current focus is on growing its investments for profitable exit.

“ideas bubble from the bottom up. People on the shop

floor who deal with the same challenges every day, are

usually the best source of solutions. while the initial

drive comes from the top, thinking and implementing

innovatively needs to run right across the board.”

03

challenges every day, are usually the best source of solutions. While the initial drive comes from the top, thinking and implementing innovatively needs to run right across the board. Innovation should be habitual, not ad hoc.5. Finally, make innovation one of the key measures and practical solutions within your business, and encourage it everywhere. You never know where it is going to come from next.

12 | OctOber 2010

A nglo american’s Research unit, which is primarily focused on metallurgical processing, approaches research in a distinct fashion. “We view innovation in a holistic way, and therefore seek to integrate and organise the various parts of that innovation process,” says Jeremy mann, general manager of the unit. “Technology development has three distinct elements: objects, ideas and people. The manner in which these three elements are tied together will determine

the success generated in uncovering innovative technology.”According to Mann, objects represent the tangible elements of technology – the way things

have been put together. Ideas, he says, are the understandings of how to interact with the objects of technology. The people are those experienced individuals who know the ideas and the technology itself.

“The rate of technological development exists on a timeline that is influenced by the learning curve of people within specific technological areas, which itself is largely determined by the ability of the people involved to innovate, and for connections to be made between people, ideas and objects,” he says.

Mann notes that the Research unit approaches innovation with the belief that all humans have the potential for innovation, particularly if they have a defined problem to solve. This approach breaks down pre-conceived ideas, including the notion that entrepreneurs are smarter, more courageous or more rebellious than anyone else. Rather, he maintains, they are merely simply better connected between objects, ideas and people, and are able to string these together.

“Real innovation for the most part, is bridging different ideas from different domains. It is akin to recombining ideas. It is not a process of thinking outside of the box. Rather, it is a process of thinking in other boxes that you have not seen before,” he says.

Mann cites the famous inventor Thomas Edison as a perfect example of how this process works. While Edison is widely acknowledged as the greatest inventor and innovator of all time, Mann argues that Edison was no more gifted than other inventors, but was rather an ‘innovation broker’ and stood out due to his strong work ethic and ability to collaborate with others.

Innovation brokering is exactly the role that Anglo American’s Research unit sees itself performing in its innovation research/technology transfer efforts, through its Mineral Processing Centre of Excellence.

“This centre of excellence is connected with other similar research institutions, and through networking and collaboration with service providers, suppliers of technology and our own operations, we collectively facilitate novel solutions,” says Mann. Detailed technical surveys are conducted over a period together with plant operating personnel, analysing and simulating the plant performance and giving advice on technology gaps. He describes it as a “network of people, plants and ideas” that discovers best practice and transfers this knowledge to the rest of the Group.

Mann emphasises that the Research unit is achieving its aims through a consistent policy of inclusiveness.

“We are not consultants who say we know it all. We collaborate with others and, together, try to understand processes better by developing our centres of excellence. The more information we have, the more value we can add to the development of innovation.”

technology development has

three distinct elements: objects, ideas and people.

How these elements are tied together is

what determines our success

in uncovering innovative

technology. Jeremy Mann, general

manager of Anglo American’s

research unit, explains.

“real innovation means bridging different ideas from different domains.

It is not a process of thinking outside of the box. rather it is a process of

thinking in other boxes that you have not seen before.”

connecting

01 A geologist checks and programmes a mobile pit wall stability radar device. Slope stability is an important aspect of safety in open pit mines, and devices such as this one help to monitor ground control hazards

InnovatIon In MInd

what we DoThe Research unit provides Anglo American with world-class solutions and expertise, focusing on the areas of process development, research, mineralogy and analytical services.

This includes identifying new and emerging technologies and where these could be utilised for competitive and economic advantage at all operations. Research teams work closely with the business units to help them identify where operational improvements can be made and new processes developed.

The process development teams perform laboratory-scale, bench-scale and ultimately pilot-plant test work to provide new technologies. They also provide ongoing technical assistance as and when required by operations. The Research unit carries out analytical testing for departmental project programmes as well as for Anglo American operations and some external clients. Its mineralogical research section represents a large proportion of the world’s scanning electron microscopy capability.

“We are not consultants who say we know it all. We collaborate with others and, together, try to understand processes better by developing our centres of excellence. the more information we have, the more value we can add to the development of innovation.”

Jeremy maNN, general manager of

Anglo American’s Research unit

the

OctOber 2010 | 13

01

InnovatIon In MInd

Innovation can mean being the first to market with a new invention, product or material. But it can also mean finding

new ways to deliver those same products and services so that they offer more value than their competitors’. Kumba Iron Ore has found a way to achieve both. It starts with a unique product: the highest quality and most important iron ores for steelmaking are magnetite (Fe3O4) and haematite (Fe2O3). Haematite is the higher-quality ore and accounts for about 95% of South Africa’s iron ore production. It continues with a unique process: Kumba is currently the only lump ore producer in the world to wholly beneficiate its product. This is made possible through dense medium separation and jig plant technology developed by the company. This beneficiation capacity is supported by a strong customer-centric focus – where a customer has plant-specific needs, the technical team will help alter existing lump ore products to add maximum value to the customer’s business. The technical team also works with customers to find ways to improve efficiencies in their furnaces, test different products for different applications and share high-level information with them. Kumba has never been a mainstream player in the iron ore industry, preferring to prioritise quality rather than quantity, and in the process focusing on anticipating the needs of a select range of customers. This focus drives all initiatives within the company, enabling it to evolve from simply being an efficient miner to becoming a value-adding strategic supplier.

FroM eFFIcIent MIner to value-adding supplier

14 | OctOber 2010

01

OctOber 2010 | 15

The Sishen Performance Transformation team, which renamed itself ‘Start of Bokamoso’ to symbolise

the start of the future, has been hard at work changing mindsets and processes at the mine.

By implementing a series of mini-transformations within Sishen’s production processes, the team is steadily improving the efficiency of the operation, while encouraging new ways of thinking and establishing a work culture of tenacity.

One such example is in the planning, quality and stockpiling department, where Hansie Esterhuizen and his team have spent eight months designing new metrics and adding new work processes to the operation. The results are in the numbers: overall equipment effectiveness of the trucks has improved from 51% to almost 65%, and drills from 39% to 48%. The effectiveness of the jig plant has also increased, enabling the operation to produce 430,000 tonnes above target.

The concept of offsite construction is simple – and the benefits considerable. This was evident at the Kumba Iron Ore Sishen South Project in the Northern Cape, where seven electrical power substations were constructed and pre-commissioned at a purpose-made industrial centre in Johannesburg.

The team explains that by delinking a particular component from the main project and building it offsite instead, construction can start immediately, instead of waiting for earthworks, civil, structural and mechanical stages to finish in sequence. Quality and safety are also better managed in a more controlled environment, with workers not being exposed to onsite dangers such as cabling and electrical hazards, or being restricted by time-consuming

safety access and permit conditions. This type of offsite construction

also brings with it considerable cost savings, which in Sishen’s case, could be reinvested into improving the quality of the substations. With this sort of project there can be up to 50 technicians and artisans working on each substation and the logistics surrounding each one can be expensive. Construction at an urban location, close to where these skills are found, eliminates costs such as labour transport and long-term accommodation.

All of these benefits combined resulted in Sishen’s substations being ready six months earlier than if they had been built onsite. Being done on such a huge scale, this modular offsite substation fabrication is also the first of its kind internationally.

way to go!

offsite construction = onsite benefits

GeTTING THeM THeRel Once each substation was set to go, it was dismantled into three components and

transported on a low-bed truck, covering the 700km trip to Sishen over two days.l On arrival at the site, they took three days to secure, reassemble and connect. It was

exceptionally simple to link up the modules and no significant retesting was required. l It then took five weeks to hot commission and integrate them with all the onsite structures

– a record-breaking timeframe for a project of this scale.

01 An employee at Kumba Iron Ore

02 Sishen’s Warwick Jackson explains the logistics of the substation project to colleagues Rocco Adendorf, Pieter Rossouw and Nic du Toit

65%overall equiPmeNt effectiveNeSS

02

52%

InnovatIon In practIce

“the main consideration that hastens innovation is that improved process performance provides a competitive advantage. considering this, and the fact that innovation can also bring about safer operations, innovation shall remain at the forefront of Anglo American’s thinking for years to come.”

Keith waiNwriGht,

Anglo American’s group

head of Engineering

16 | OctOber 2010

01

OctOber 2010 | 17

No one definite source alone leads to innovative technologies. Rather, innovation

occurs through the need to satisfy various operational, business and safety issues.

“There are many sources or needs that trigger innovation within Anglo American,” explains Keith Wainwright, group head of Engineering. “While the primary drivers are clearly safety, productivity and business opportunity, others include environmental awareness, risk management and regulatory compliance. The timeframe for innovation is a vital consideration. Incremental developments in current technology typically have an approximate three-year time horizon, while fundamental innovation needs to look forward a decade or more.”

Wainwright adds that innovation at Anglo American occurs both within the business units, where the application is specific to that environment, and through the centre where there is cross business unit relevance. Overall this can be quite an involved process. In 2010 a new group Technology Development unit was established within Anglo American’s Mining and Technology directorate to coordinate and lead a long-term technology programme that supports

the vision of the mine of 2030. The aim is to discover, develop and deploy technologies that enable Anglo American to manage cost-effective, zero harm, fully automated operations in present and future frontiers.

Wainwright points out that innovation is often prompted by the application of newly available system and equipment capabilities, which enable the improvement of current processes. A prime example lies in the field of IT, electronics and computers, which enable the automation of previously manual business systems and equipment. “This,” says Wainwright, “results in increased performance and reduced costs.”

The need to have specific technology that can optimise processes also drives innovation. This includes ore extraction and processing, with two examples being Anglo American’s nickel and titanium research projects. It also includes the need to have energy efficient processes and machines, as Anglo American strives to discover new technological means to move operations towards optimised energy and water consumption models.

Another driver is economies of scale. “Many machines within the operations are up to three times the size they were 20 years ago, resulting in reduced capital and operating costs,” says Wainwright. “Examples include the 300t haul trucks and the 40ft diameter grinding mills. The reliability of

these becomes proportionately more critical in order to achieve the predicted business performance. This in turn demands further innovation in technical reliability.”

Wainwright adds that Anglo American is currently exploring a model that includes automated drills, trucks and shovel operations. “The vision encompasses driverless trucks and pre-programmed drills,” he explains. “The driverless trucks would operate on a circuit with sensing devices, with the route controlled through the use of GPS-based technologies.”

A driverless-truck operation takes the human factor out of the equation, leading to improved safety, increased uptime and potentially better machine performance. Because the truck doesn’t stop for breaks or shift changes, operations are able to get more hours per day, per truck.

“Further, the evidence indicates that these trucks are more reliable,” says Wainwright. “Tyre wear and fuel consumption are reduced as the truck operates within carefully controlled parameters.”

While these types of trucks are not in use in South Africa as yet, Wainwright says that the vision exists within the 2030 mine framework to have central control rooms with autonomous machines and controls, and with fewer people exposed to the potential hazards of mining.

leaDing throughinnovation

Anglo American has been at the forefront of some of the industry’s most important technological developments, and remains heavily involved in uncovering dynamic ways to aid in the development of safe, economically viable and optimised mining and mineral extraction practices.

01 New Vaal colliery’s John Mokhothu, sand system foreman (right) and Teboho Kotele, sand system operator, pictured at sunset in front of a bucket wheel excavator. These continuous excavation machines are among the largest moving machines on earth, some models weighing up to 11,000 tonnes and standing more than 100m tall

18 | OctOber 2010

By converting a harmful by-product into a saleable material, Anglo American’s platinum operations in

Rustenburg are ensuring that both the business and the environment benefit.

The drive towards environmentally geared operations and the importance of operating within the requirements of society has seen Platinum’s Rustenburg smelter operations reduce emissions by 90%. This is thanks to something known as the Anglo Platinum Converting Process (ACP), which captures and converts sulphur dioxide into saleable sulphuric acid.

Anglo American’s group head of Engineering, Keith Wainwright, explains that this project was based on the Ausmelt process and incorporated significant technical innovation in terms of size and

operating parameters. Twin plants were built at the Rustenburg operations to capture the gas and convert it into sulphuric acid. Particular developments included the high-pressure cooling system and the lancing arrangement.

“Environmental issues are significant for any mining company, as it is a consideration in the social ‘licence to operate’, ” says Wainwright. “We therefore need to meet certain social expectations, and our aim was to ensure that the plant complemented this view.

“The traditional converting process normally emits large amounts of fugitrive gases, including sulphur dioxide, which is a noxious and undesirable atmospheric gas. This is no longer the case. The plant now operates in an environmentally sound way.”

InnovatIon In practIce

converters create Profit from by-ProDucts

safer, better, blastingRock blasting in mining is an energy intensive and costly exercise, and potentially exposes mine workers to hazards such as blast fumes, pressure waves and rock fractures. Anglo American has now employed a process called electronic blasting control, whereby blasting can be controlled from a safe distance and with more precision.

Anglo American’s group head of Engineering, Keith Wainwright says that this process reduces potential safety threats and increases productivity.

“Lost blasts are a major focus, whether it is underground or

opencast, as a whole production shift can be lost if a blast fails. Electronic blasting control helps to optimise blast performance in a much more controlled and effective way.”

Instead of manually triggering a blast, the whole underground blasting operation is electronically connected and triggered by computer from a central surface control room. The actual time lapse between blasts is controlled within milliseconds to suit the overall blast performance.

The main motivation for this innovation, says Wainwright, was the need to operate more safely. Anglo American therefore invested

a significant amount into identifying candidate systems, testing and selecting a suitable system, training the people involved and rolling it out to operations. Anglo American began trialling the technology in 2007 at its platinum operations.

Wainwright points out that in addition to the safety benefits there are significant potential cost control and productivity benefits, which are also being exploited.

“Thus far, the system has performed more than satisfactorily and it is therefore seen as a success story that has added immense value to the Group’s safety strategy.”

01

”thus far, the

system has

performed

more than

satisfactorily”

Keith

waiNwriGht,

Anglo American’s

group head of

Engineering

OctOber 2010 | 19

dId You Know?l The Sishen Cave was discovered in 1978 when a drilling sub-

contractor drilled into the cavity at a depth of 120m.l The extent of the cave was determined by exploration drilling,

gravity surveys and information gleaned from video recordings. l As the cave was 90% full of water, the South African Speleological

Society performed a sonar survey to determine its size.l The cave has a total volume of 261 391m³.

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the smartest ones. This was Josias Cunningham’s thinking when

he set out to create an easy-to-use and readily available source of information to help mines with operational decision-making and to prepare budgets and forecasts. The result is a user-friendly computer-based rating tool which, when programmed with the necessary information, is able to provide a geological risk assessment of a colliery’s reserves.Cunningham, who is currently a staff geologist at Kriel colliery, developed the tool as his graduate project while working as a geologist-in-training at

new Denmark colliery. “i believe that by applying the geological data gained through exploratory drilling on both the surface and underground, it is possible to predict with a reasonable amount of certainty the degree of geological risk associated with a specific reserve block,” he says.

The programme is conveniently able to produce simple graphical presentations of the data and risk assessments, which makes it ideal for planning sessions. Josias is already seeking ways to develop the project further – one option being to use the programme to align a reserve’s risk rating to the group’s Risk matrix.

simPle, easy – anD smart

Mining over the roof of a cave that is bigger than two rugby fields com-bined, at more than 120m below the surface, sounds like an impossible task. But not for the team at Sishen. Located in the south mine area, the Sishen Cave mining operation started in 1989 following the decision to mine the 6,8Mt of high-grade haematite that made up the roof of the cave. This year, and despite several subsidence incidents, the cave has been successfully mined out without any lost-time injuries or damage incidents.

Sishen is believed to be the only South African operation that has mined over a natural cavity of this scale, and the fact that it was completed with no injury is testament to the design of the solution, the management of the risk and the commitment and collaboration of the production teams.

01 Peter Stevens, plant superintendent and Michael van Heerden, senior section engineer, discuss the removal of the old converters at Waterval Smelter at Platinum’s Rustenburg operations

02 Kumba is the only haematite ore producer in the world to fully beneficiate its product. This is made possible through dense medium separation (DMS) and jig technology. At the DMS plant seen here, the ore is crushed, washed and separated into coarse, medium and fine material by wet screening

03 If not, why not? Josias Cunningham’s new risk assessment tool could soon make the planning teams’ jobs that much easier

sishen Digs DeeP

03

02

20 | OctOber 2010

ar from keeping abreast of current safety policies, it is our aim at Anglo American to cut a swathe through standard safety norms and take the lead in the search for original safety and risk management strategies through lateral thinking.

Naturally, corporate safety strategies are designed at board level, for which the organisation has won a number of awards, most recently the Innovation and Excellence Award in Health and Safety in November last year at the prestigious IChemE (Institute of Chemical Engineers) Awards in York, England, beating considerable international competition. However, creative reasoning to reach solutions that might not be obtainable by using traditional step-by-step logic is not solely the realm of management. This is why participation and innovation in tackling specific safety issues are actively encouraged and rewarded at all levels. This is reflected in a number of internal awards, such as some of those presented at Anglo American’s annual awards dinner and the Applaud Awards for staff members who have pioneered alternative or more tailored safety solutions that have positive and immediate benefits to human life and high-value equipment.

The issue of safety is our primary value. Since reviewing and refining our focus on safety and introducing our policy of zero harm in 2007, we have been nothing short of relentless in its pursuit. The concept of zero harm, through the effective management of safety across all operations, is underpinned by three immovable principles: a zero harm mindset; simple, non-negotiable standards; and no repeats.

This was reinforced in 2008 with the introduction of the groundbreaking Safety Risk Management Programme (SRMP). The development of SRMP was

itself a unique process, designed by Anglo American and Professor Jim Joy, Anglo American’s chair of risk management at the University of Queensland, Australia. It includes best-practice insights gained not only from the mining industry but also from the nuclear, aviation and chemical sectors. So revolutionary is the SRMP that Anglo American is taking the unprecedented step of offering it as a standard course to both mining and non-mining industries through a network of universities worldwide. Further, the holistic principles of the SRMP are such that they can be applied to any department in any industry – from boardroom to shop floor – to ensure that systems and processes are implemented correctly from the start, increasing productivity and saving time and money.

If that weren’t enough, in April 2008 Anglo American established the Tripartite Safety Initiative in conjunction with the South African government’s Department of Minerals and the National Union of Mineworkers. While this unprecedented collaborative effort focused initially on safety, the parties are now addressing other areas in which they can work together to make a real difference, such as occupational health.

But, most importantly, Anglo American’s innovative approach to safety has counted where it matters most: in the number of accidents and fatalities. In South Africa alone, where we employ more than 80,000 employees and contractors, fatalities have dropped from 40 in 2007 to 20 in 2009, with 11 to date in 2010 (at the time of going to print), reflecting an almost 75% improvement. Our lost-time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) has improved from 1.5 in 2007 to 0.76 in 2009, to 0.56 to date.And that’s the real bottom line. Interwoven and inherent in everything we do, innovative safety development will continue to be the core driver in our pursuit of zero harm.

box? what box?Innovation and re-creation is what you would expect from a company that was built from nothing and which has evolved, almost 100 years later, into one of the world’s leading and largest mining groups. And like all processes and programmes effected at a high strategic level within Anglo American, our approach to safety – with the unwavering goal of eradicating fatalities and injuries – is both focused and yet out-the-box.

InnovatIon In saFetY

F01 Employees and contractors at Sishen adhere to stringent safety measures

02 Workers inside Goedehoop colliery’s plant

creative reasoning to reach solutions that might not be obtainable through traditional step-by-step logic is not solely the realm of management. this is why participation and innovation in tackling safety issues are actively encouraged and rewarded at all levels throughout Anglo American.

in South africa alone, fatalities have

dropped from 40 in 2007 to

11 in 2010 (at the time of going

to print), reflecting an almost

75% improvement.

01

02

75%OctOber 2010 | 21

22 | OctOber 2010

InnovatIon In saFetY

turning uP the heat on smelter run-outs

run-outs – which are the uncontrolled flow of molten material from a smelter furnace – are dangerous to human life and destructive to valuable and expensive equipment.

determined to find a solution and avoid further safety hazards, down time and costs, smelter section engineers Jonathan mochabane and Whitey Seyanund, together with colleagues at Platinum’s Polokwane smelter, worked continuously for eight months to improve the area around their furnace building. this included building insulation walls to channel

heat and fumes towards the atmosphere; extending the walking platforms by approximately 5m to separate people from high-risk areas and to add an insulation layer between the ground and cooler level; fire-proofing the steel structures, especially the furnace support structures; and building dedicated concrete cast run-out trenches. the benefits have been tremendous. this includes being able to safely evacuate staff from an emergency area with a lot less tripping or bumping against hazards, as well as reducing mean time to recovery (mttr) and resumed production, as less equipment is damaged. it has also enabled the quick replacement of copper coolers with a special forklift and sequential stacking of refractory when rebuilding the furnace on the extended platform. in recognition of all their efforts to improve safety at the smelter, mochabane, Seyanund and their team were nominated for an Applaud award at the recent annual Anglo American staff recognition awards.

DANGeRS oF RuN-ouTSl Toxic fumes and dust are given off.l Victims suffer heat stroke due to radiation and burns from

scorching temperatures.l Limited or no visibility due to the gases, makes escape from

trapped conditions very difficult.

01

OctOber 2010 | 23

In yet another example of innovation and leadership in safety, Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen mine and Anglo American’s technical team have together tackled the high-risk problem of collisions with large surface mining equipment.

Limited operator visibility causes most mining equipment collisions, yet previously at the Sishen mine only haul trucks and some shovels had rear-view cameras and radar units. However, these systems worked independently of each other and weren’t user friendly. The only alternative available at the time was Switzerland-based FLARMS’ expensive airline-type collision avoidance system (CAS). However, this wasn’t rugged enough to cope with the challenges of the mining industry. The Anglo American duo then asked FLARMS to develop a new, sturdier unit for both low- and high-speed collision.

Enter the All-In-One CAS, which uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, visual and audible technology, and radar technology.

This system can be installed in its entirety or as three separate stand-alone units – the SAFEmine traffic awareness system, the safety vision high-resolution colour camera system, and the radar system. The All-In-One CAS system sends visual and audible warnings of possible collisions and dangerous movements if units enter the ‘at risk’ zones, with information shown on the camera monitor to further help operators.

An additional financial benefit of installing the CAS is the linking of the signal from the CAS units to the mine’s WiFi network, which helps operations to more effectively use the secondary equipment that isn’t fitted with a fleet management system.

great news from the emalahleni Water Reclamation Plant – in July this year it proudly recorded 1,000 lost-time injury (LTi) free days since commencing production on 1 October 2007, and has registered

only one first-aid case for the year to date. Plant manager, Thubendran Naidu, says that this

represents “an exemplary achievement given the unique nature of the hazards on the plant”.

This safety performance is by no means accidental, as every day the eMalahleni operations team emphasises the importance of safety awareness. Its holistic approach to safety includes monthly safety meetings held between safety health and environment (SHE) representatives and management, tri-weekly safety briefings with all site personnel, and SHE booklets issued to contractors who use them to alert management to any potential hazards.

“As almost 90% of employees on the site are contractors, this achievement is the result of a unified team effort and is a great example of ‘One Anglo’ at work,” says Naidu, adding that best practices from staff and contractors come together under a single umbrella of safety performance measures.

SAFemine cASs have now

been installed in 750 light

and heavy pit vehicles.

all-in-one answer to collision avoiDance

1,000 Days anD still counting

"the operations management teams of Anglo American and the engineering & Projects company have found synergies between the safety performance drivers of both organisations."thuBeNdraN Naidu, plant manager

01 Temperature monitoring during the tapping process at Platinum’s Polokwane smelter

02 Wearing full safety gear, this employee at the Thermal Coal/BHP Billiton eMalahleni water reclamation plant is just one of many who contributed towards the plant’s 1,000 LTI-free milestone

did you know?86% of the eMalahleni workforce comprises historically disadvantaged South Africans, while 91% have been sourced from local communities with high rates of unemployment.

02

24 | OctOber 2010

african Nickel was formed in 2005 by two local entrepreneurs, and it has enjoyed a strong supportive

relationship with Anglo American since. Now, through the Khula Mining Fund, the company looks set to take off, as it prepares to start work on the Bon Accord project, located approximately 20km from the long-established mining centre of Barberton in Mpumalanga.

The process of acquiring Bon Accord was carried out over three phases. Following a successful application to the Khula Mining Fund, a staged investment of up to R20 million was approved to earn the Fund a 15% stake in the project. The business is well on its way – the mining rights application will be submitted later this year, together with the social and labour plan as well as the water use licence application. The feasibility

study will be completed mid 2011, to enable development and production to commence in early 2012.

This project is a reflection of Anglo American’s commitment to developing new and start-up businesses, specifically within the mining industry, which is the focus of the Khula Mining Fund’s activities.

African Nickel has particularly benefited from the alliance through access to the extensive Anglo American database for nickel in Africa. This extensive repository of information includes borehole core and related data, geochemistry and geophysics, and reports of activities undertaken during previous exploration campaigns.

Subsequently, African Nickel has used this resource to target projects for mineral rights acquisition, with Bon Accord being identified as one such project.

InnovatIve partnershIps

KHuLA MINING FuND AT A GLANCel ESTABLISHED: 2003

l ORIGIN: A joint initiative between Anglo American and Khula Enterprise Finance, a development finance institution established by the South African Department of Trade and Industry.

l INVESTMENT RANGE: Up to R20 million.

l FUND OVERVIEW: A fund which facilitates the entry of commercially viable mining ventures into the mainstream mining sector.

l MANDATE: To invest in early high-risk mineral exploration and mine development activities that will ultimately enable the commercial funding of such enterprises, particularly BEE transactions.

thanks to a r20 million boost from Anglo American’s Khula Mining Fund, local mining outfit, African Nickel, will soon start developing one of the oldest nickel-sulphide deposits in the world.

faSt factThe Bon Accord project has created six new semi-permanent employment opportunities to date, along with associated training and skills development.

turning ranDsinto nicKel(s)

01

OctOber 2010 | 25

01 Core cutting and sampling at the Bon Accord coreyard

02 Small business, big deal! This 15-ton dump truck is part of Bird Machines’ expanding range of mining equipment, thanks in part to the support of Zimele’s Supply Chain Fund

03 Doing their bit on Mandela Day are some of Thermal Coal’s executive committee and senior management, at the Vosloorus Old Age Home in Ekurhuleni

67 minutes – and then some!

Based in nelspruit, the team at Bird machines designs, manufactures and services a range of trackless

underground mining machines to meet specific client requirements. a culture of innovation has been entrenched at the company as a result of customers requiring unique solutions.

The first mining machines produced at Bird Machines were designed for the application of lime stone dust to the roofs, walls and floors of underground collieries. However, its range of equipment has expanded over the years, and now includes a variety of apparatus including multi-purpose and utility vehicles, maintenance units, scissor lifts, tipping and rear-ejecting dump trucks, personnel carriers, large bore pipe manipulators, road compactors, and rock breakers.

This success story has flourished with the support of Zimele’s Supply Chain Fund, says Bird Machines chairman, Howie Miller.

“Zimele has given us valuable guidance in terms of the requirements to achieve black economic empowerment (BEE) status, while also identifying and introducing us to our empowerment partners with whom we enjoy an excellent relationship.”

Zimele also provides assistance to businesses like Bird Machines on corporate governance and legal matters, safety, the environment, accounting and PR.

In return, Anglo American’s procurement departments can easily identify BEE suppliers and ensure the channelling of business opportunities to black-empowered SMEs.

this sme is flying high… thanks to a fruitful partnership between bird Machines and Anglo American Zimele’s Supply chain Fund.

Members of Anglo American Thermal Coal’s executive committee and senior management rolled up their sleeves when they joined the Department of Mineral Resources to give a hand to the elderly on Mandela Day.

Minister of mineral resources, Susan Shabangu, led the team, whose members devoted their day to improving the conditions of the 150 residents of the Vosloorus Old Age Home in Ekurhuleni. She was joined by senior Thermal Coal executives, provincial and national parliamentarians and councillors from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

Thermal Coal’s head of operations, Dave Haselau, says that good corporate citizenship is a never-ending role the company must play to ensure that it fully justifies its social licence to operate.

“The little that each of us can do will go a long way towards brightening an otherwise normal day. I’m certain that if we join hands, no challenge is too big to tackle.”

02

03

26 | OctOber 2010

Rapid population growth creates all sorts of social and health challenges and transitions – exactly the

sort of trends that are monitored by the Agincourt Unit research group, based at Witwatersrand University.

This unit tracks changes over time, recording births, deaths and

migrations, as well as reporting on various diseases and child malnutrition. The information is fed to government to inform policy development and practice.

Now, with the help of a R995,000 grant from the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund, the Agincourt Unit will be able to conduct high-quality evaluations and intervention research to address some of the challenges it has identified. The grant will also enhance the capacity of the unit’s research platform and data management system, to which all research is linked.

Dino Catering, which prepares food for more than 300 employees at Greenside colliery every day, is just one of the 45 businesses that have benefited from the Anglo American Zimele Community Fund’s small business hub in eMalahleni near

Witbank. Since opening its doors in October 2008, the hub has injected R13 million into these businesses, which collectively provide 460 jobs for members of the local community.

This is a point of great personal pride for Ntombi Mnguni, the hub’s

manager, who explains that thanks to Zimele’s Communities Fund, the hub is able to provide start-up and working capital to grassroots enterprises situated around Thermal Coal, Platinum, Kumba Iron Ore and De Beers operations. “While the Fund provides the finance, we empower and equip entrepreneurs with mentorship, hands-on support and guidance on basic business management,” she says.

The hub recently got to boast about some of its great work during a visit from Mervyn Walker, Anglo American's group head of Human Resources and Communications.

Walker was able to engage with several of the entrepreneurs who have personally been touched by the initiative and who explained how they have in turn helped others by providing jobs through the growth of their businesses.

InnovatIon In coMMunItIes

a boost for health anD social monitoring

the Anglo American chairman’s Fund plans to donate a further r735,600 to the Agincourt Unit next year, and r536,000 in 2012.

small business hub, big business iDeas

faSt factS l Agincourt’s work covers

25 rural villages with 14,700 households.

l Almost 84,000 people will directly benefit from the grant.

l Improved access to child support grants is one of the organisation’s main impacts in the community.

01

OctOber 2010 | 27

The Anglo American Chairman’s Fund, in conjunction with the De Beers Chairman’s Fund, is uplifting education and preserving national heritage archives with a R3.9 million donation to the University of Fort Hare.

The grants will be used to upgrade the National Archive Heritage and Cultural Studies (NAHECS) Building, which houses the National Liberation Archives and other valuable South African heritage documents, artwork and artefacts linked to the country's liberation movements.

we’re assuring the future of the Past

The siyaJabula siyaKhula learning programme is unique in that it puts unemployed parents and

post-matriculants to work teaching the next generation of students. It creates employment and opportunity for adults while at the same time providing much-needed educational guidance to learners. This dual-benefit programme – which recently received a R200,000

boost from the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund – specifically aims to help learners in maths and English. Parents are trained to give carefully structured assistance to learners under the guidance of experienced education specialists, and are paid for their services. The success of the programme is based on the fact that learners show great improvement through the early pinpointing of subjects or areas that

need particular attention and remedial tuition. The teachers then reconstruct the knowledge that a child has already acquired by revisiting basic concepts and rebuilding the foundations in an ordered way. The programme currently employs 13 instructors and administrative staff. There are currently six schools taking part, with a view to rolling out the programme to 250 schools in Gauteng in the near future.

imProving KiDs by engaging parents

01 Anglo American’s group head of Human Resources and Communications, Mervyn Walker, (back, middle) pictured during his recent visit to eMalahleni

02 AND 03 Beneficiaries of the siyaJabula siyaKhula learning programme, which engages unemployed parents to help provide remedial tuition to learners

results analysed by the council for Scientific and Industrial research (cSIr) show a 42% improvement in mathematics marks through the siyaJabula siyaKhula learning programme.

faSt factSl NAHECS also houses rare copies of vernacular literature, radio

programmes and private cultural collections.l Fort Hare is the oldest black university in southern Africa.l The cultural centre is the result of a previous investment by the

then Anglo American and De Beers Chairman’s Fund.

02 03

this NAHecS building initiative is the university's flagship project, and is directly associated with its cultural centre and the De beers centenary Art Gallery.

28 | OctOber 2010

A Saturday school of excellence is helping a new generation of mathematicians and scientists to hone their skills under the guidance of specialist tutors. Some 300 students are giving up their

Saturday morning leisure time for five-and-a-half hours of intensive study at Thermal Coal’s School of Excellence in Witbank, run by the Programme for Technological Careers (Protec). Candidates from grades 9 to 11 qualified for the training programme by writing submission tests, and many of them also participated in a four-day winter camp to teach teamwork and personal development.

Three major benefits will be derived from this quest for excellence. “Firstly, our collieries will be able to recruit the engineers and technicians they need from the Witbank area,” says community development superintendent Lindiwe Phakathi.

“Secondly, by achieving higher standards of education, our local children will have a better opportunity to qualify for Anglo American bursaries and gain employment after completing their school careers. Lastly, Thermal Coal will be a key player in tackling the national shortage of technical skills in our country.”

InnovatIon In coMMunItIes

witbanK learners strive for excellence

Not even a bitterly cold highveld wind could diminish the enthusiasm of learners at the opening of the 2010 winter school programme sponsored by Goedehoop colliery as part of its flagship education programme.

The initiative, which seeks to improve the standards of learning and tuition in maths and science-related subjects, is now well into its second year and has been expanded to cater for local grade 10 and 11 pupils, in addition to matric students.

Over 450 pupils enrolled in this year’s module in July, which saw them participate in intensive revision groups, six days a week.

goeDehooP winter school warms young minDs

01 AND 02 Pupils at Thermal Coal’s School of Excellence in Witbank, seen at a four-day winter camp aimed at teaching teamwork and personal development

03 Participants of Goedehoop colliery’s winter school programme

faSt factSl One winter programme maths learner went from 60% to gaining matric

distinction and a place at the University of Pretoria to study metallurgy.l Pupils’ average marks more than doubled in 2009.l Teachers benefit from working with highly-qualified facilitators.

01 02

03

The A Magazine is a quarterly publication

of Anglo American South Africa.

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 638-3188

www.angloamerican.co.za

the

MA

GA

ZIN

E

AAAthe

Athe

the

Athe

MA

GA

ZIN

E

A MA

GA

ZIN

EM

AG

AZI

NE

A MA

GA

ZIN

E