The renewed Khumbul’ekhaya 2.0 safety and health strategy has been rolled out for the South African mining sector to eliminate fatalities, reduce life-changing injuries and embed a proactive safety culture across all local mines, says Minerals Council South Africa head of safety Dushendra Naidoo.

Khumbul’ekhaya 2.0, led by himself and his team at the Minerals Council’s Safety & Modernisation Department, reflects a broader commitment to operational excellence, human-centred risk management and sustainable mining practices, he tells Mining Weekly.

Building on the foundation of the original Khumbul’ekhaya initiative, the second iteration introduces a sharper and more focused framework for implementation, and differs from the first version in its emphasis on five key execution pillars.

Khumbul’ekhaya 2.0 also sharpens the focus on CEO-led visible-felt leadership, disciplined critical control management, data 4.0 for proactive decision-making, mental health and fatigue management, as well as faster innovation and shared learning.

“The outcomes we’re driving are fewer life-changing injuries and sustained fatality elimination through verified critical controls,” he adds.

This year is a mobilisation year for the new initiative, with leadership already present on site through cross-company visible-felt leadership visits and forums to embed the new strategic intent.

“This version 2.0 was conceptualised by myself and went through a rigorous development process to encompass all the key components. The comprehensive safety milestone analysis undertaken by our safety and modernisation team, and the outcomes of our CEO Heartfelt Conversation in November 2024 were critical items that fed into the innovation of version 2.0,” explains Naidoo.

As part of this renewed focus, the Minerals Council South Africa has focused on the primary safety challenges confronting the mining industry.

Naidoo says falls of ground (FoG), transport and machinery (T&M), and general incidents, such as being struck by objects or slips and falls, remain dominant safety concerns.

“To address these, we have implemented initiatives, including the FoG Action Plan, an industry-aligned T&M project, and ‘bowties’ for other critical hazards, which provide structured guidance for operational safety.

“We have built industry-level bowties for FoG, T&M, and noise and dust hazards through a structured process that captured inputs from mining safety experts. Companies are encouraged to reference these bowties when reviewing their respective safety controls.”

Connecting safety with measurable impact, the updated strategy ties directly into the Minerals Council’s #MakingMiningMatter focus by converting strategic intent into actionable behaviours. Such content includes leaders on the ground, verified controls for high-risk work, proactive data and visible attention to wellness.

“It’s a 2025-2027 implementation programme endorsed for industry roll-out and supported by transparent performance communication,” he adds.

Initiatives

Several initiatives are in motion under Khumbul’ekhaya 2.0 to track serious incidents and control failures, and also include a strategy-monitoring tool to oversee safety milestones, including women-in-mining occupational health and safety goals, outlines Naidoo.

Recognising that safety must extend beyond major mining houses, he emphasises the inclusion of smaller, junior and midtier operations, which enables safety insights to be disseminated through the Minerals Council South Africa’s Mining Leadership Forum, and regional tripartite forums with the Mine Health & Safety Council.

“We also host communities of practice for adoption meetings and provide webinars and workshops that are open to all mining stakeholders,” he adds.

Technology and innovation also serve as the backbone of the new strategy, particularly under its data 4.0 pillar, whereby this digital layer aims to consolidate leading indicators across the industry.

“Technology enables earlier warnings, targeted interventions and faster learning across companies. Our health- and safety-driven innovation pillar also covers adoption of leading practices, gender inclusion and women in mining – all designed to generate measurable outcomes for safer operations.”

Beyond technology, Khumbul’ekhaya 2.0 balances immediate risk reduction with long-term cultural transformation, adds Naidoo.

“We run a dual track: a ‘stop-the-bleeding’ package with heartfelt leadership, isolation and ground-support integrity, as well as scheduled maintenance, competent supervision and fatigue controls, while building a longer-term culture through just culture, transparent reporting and shared learning. The strategy shifts the industry from reactive to proactive safety management.”

The revised approach integrates safety with broader sustainability and social priorities, with mental health, fatigue management and transparent reporting contributing to not only workplace safety but also the protection of human rights and environmental stewardship.

Naidoo adds that safety and health priorities strengthen community trust and investor confidence, with version 2.0 “explicitly” elevating mental health and fatigue management, addressing the evolving workplace realities after Covid-19.

To ensure accountability and transparency, engagement with mine-affected communities remains a cornerstone of the programme: “We publish progress, share learning and ensure community expectations are incorporated through these platforms,” he concludes.