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South African Business 2020 edition

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  • Infrastructure
  • Energy
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  • Tourism
  • Regional
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  • Mining
A unique guide to business and investment in South Africa. Welcome to the eighth edition of the South African Business journal. First published in 2011, the publication has established itself as the premier business and investment guide to South Africa. Regular pages cover all the main economic sectors of the South African economy and give a snapshot of each of the country’s provincial economies. A special feature focusses on the huge potential for growth and job creation which the tourism industry holds. The possibilities presented by the age of renewable energy for the mining industry is the topic of another special feature and the CEO of Minerals Council South Africa responds to a set of questions on the state of mining in the country. South African Business is complemented by nine regional publications covering the business and investment environment in each of South Africa’s provinces.

SPECIAL FEATURE Mining

SPECIAL FEATURE Mining for the future South African miners are finding new uses for platinum and gearing up for the age of renewable energy. New national strategies are being developed for platinum. Implats’ Marula Mine in Limpopo produced 85 100 ounces of platinum in concentrate in FY2018. The head office of the Minerals Council South Africa is powered by 40 ounces of platinum and natural gas. A fuel cell at the Johannesburg site of the national mine owners’ association is South Africa and Africa’s first base load installation. Finding new uses for platinum is one of the new priorities exercising the minds of the leaders of the South African mining industry as it moves to adapt to a world which is moving away from fossil fuels. While there is broad agreement that the world needs to steer away from minerals that pollute the environment, the supply of minerals used in electric car manufacture (such as nickel and cobalt) is also finite. Speaking at the 2019 Investing in African Mining Indaba, Ford’s head of Energy Storage Strategy and Research, Ted J Miller, said that the motor industry was “uncomfortable driving these commodities”. He noted that Ford has already reduced cobalt production by two-thirds, but the challenge is scale. In 2012 Anglo Platinum launched an underground locomotive powered by a fuel cell. Platinum coating greatly enhances the hydrogen absorption capacity of fuel cells. In 2016 Impala Platinum Refinery unveiled a fuel cell forklift and a hydrogen refuelling station in Springs. The editor of the Mining Weekly publication, Martin Creamer, has published a series of articles and editorials extolling the virtues of what he calls the “best of two new carbon-reducing technology worlds”. Creamer notes that South Africa’s abundant supplies of platinum group metals (PGMs) and manganese ore can make the country a leader in battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). He further points to the work being done by Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) at three universities and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). South Africa’s good supplies of sunshine and wind make it ideally suited to generate hydrogen and if the country could capture 25% of the world market, it would be worth 0-million (Mining Weekly) Coal Several large players in the South African market have sold or intend selling their coal assets. These include South32, Anglo American and BHP Billiton. Seriti Resources has purchased the SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2020 38

SPECIAL INTERVIEW FEATURE Women are succeeding in mining Thabile Makgala, Executive: Mining at Impala Platinum, reflects on the role of women in this challenging sector. Thabile Makgala Did you encounter obstacles on your mining career path? I encountered numerous obstacles while navigating my mining career path. As the first female mining engineering graduate at Goldfields Kloof and Driefontein division (now Sibanye Gold), I soon realised that the industry had not adequately prepared itself to accept women in mining. The industry was not ready. The response to women’s needs (infrastructure, personal protective clothing and policies) was slow and very little was in place to address women’s issues. Regardless of impeccable qualifications, solid work ethic and the achievement of production targets, my abilities would continue to be questioned and tested. Is the environment more conducive to women progressing? It is encouraging to witness so many women succeed in an industry that has largely been developed for and by our male counterparts. Although there have been positive steps taken to make the current environment more conducive for women, more deliberate and proactive action is still required. BIOGRAPHY Thabile is the Executive: Mining at Implats, and chairperson of Women in Mining South Africa (WiMSA). In 2018, she was selected as one of the “Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining” by Women in Mining UK. Thabile has a Master’s degree in business administration from the University of Stellenbosch Business School and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering (Cum laude) from the University of the Witwatersrand. What should be prioritised to empower women? Women and men should hold equal representation in the workplace, and mining companies should prioritise and advocate for diversity, inclusion, parity and greater recognition of female leadership within their organisations. Is mining a transformed industry, or is it transforming? The mining industry is transforming, and legislation has been instrumental in driving this transformation. I sincerely hope that 10 years from now the fundamental elements such as empowering, caring, showing respect, connecting and growing our female talent would have been achieved. I hope that the conversation about women, parity and inclusion would have advanced, and that the industry would have made a concerted effort to transform, without the need for legislation. What innovation will be beneficial to the mining industry? Data and the analytics will prove to be the competitive advantage for mines of the future. Converting conventional mining practices to lower-risk mechanisation and automation is key for the sustainability of the South African mining industry. 39 SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2020

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