Leadership is a key aspect to drive change in the mining sector and it is admirable to see more women stepping into previously male perceived roles, notes the organiser of the annual Women & Leadership in Mining conference, taking place on 28 & 29 August at the NH Collection, Sandton.

Each year women-owned company Pinpoint Stewards searches for 12 women in the South African mining landscape to speak during the two-day conference. 

“We are amazed to see more and more women stepping into new and exciting careers within the industry and we hope, by profiling these women and their careers, it will prove that women indeed belong in mining and open doors for others to follow,”  says Pinpoint Stewards co-owner Ankia Roux.

“As reported in a Mining Review article… more than 200 years ago, there were more women in the mining industry than today and safety was cited to remove all women from mining activities. Fast forward to the implementation of the MPRDA which emphasised to expand opportunities for the historically disadvantaged, including women and communities. In 1994 the first woman in South Africa obtained a mining engineering degree and the first black woman a decade later in 2005. As late as 1999 the first women Minister of Minerals and Energy was appointed,” Roux says, acknowledging the research.

“Today, most mining companies are aware that their woman-capital is not just a tick-the-box exercise but, now more than ever, women are seen as the competitive edge and companies are doing their utmost to ensure women can be attracted [to the industry] and retained.  This is made easier with supporting laws, proposed white papers, internal guidelines, women forums, policy changes etc,” she says.  

The theme for this year’s conference is 'Safeguarding and encouraging the future progress of women to reach for higher ground'.  The line-up of women speaking at the conference is proof that women are moving into all levels of mining.

Nomvula Ngcobo, Engineering Manager – Asset & Maintenance Management, Central – Randfontein, HARMONY GOLD MINING COMPANY LTD will be speaking on why women should be retained and developed in Mining. She is the group engineering manager at Harmony Gold with over 17 years in mining.

Overcoming burn-out through applying mental awareness and wellbeing at the         workplace – will be addressed by Kristell Holtzhausen, Previous Company Secretary,          African Rainbow Minerals LTD, Ferrous Division (Assmang), she is a Company Secretary with experience spanning over two decades in listed, dual listed and multi-national environments. 

Mpho Nyarela, WIM Chairperson Limpopo RTF Exco Member, PALABORA MINING COMPANY will look at the topic of re-writing HR policies to align with targets and include the influx of women at a faster tempo,  she has a Mining Degree and Masters in Business Administration, -Governance and -Finance, PMP and is the Women In Mining Chairperson, Limpopo RTF EXCO.

Women accessing the mining sector through modernization towards safety and          sustainability will be the focus of Bontle Mtshengu, Founder & Co-Owner, QUANTUM LEAP SMART ENGINEERING, who started her own business as she stepped away from corporate for a moment to balance life with a career spanning over 23 years in mining.

To promote deliberate discussions, three women-in-mining-chairpersons, will tackle the topic of:  the composition of women in mining forums and committees to achieve change in representing women at the highest level and give support to women at the mine.  Looking at the key functions and responsibilities of women in mining forums. Panellist include: Hendrietta Sarile, Environmental Coordinator: Systems and Compliance Exploration, IVANPLATS who was responsible for the implementation of Environmental and Social Management Systems, contributing towards the $1.2Billion funding of Ivanplats Mine’s development.

Cynthia Muvhango, Mine Engineer, Foskor PTY Ltd will add her voice and is a qualified Geologist who serves as a Mining Engineer at Foskor in Phalaborwa and Mpho Nyarela, mentioned above. 

Sponsors, exhibitors and partners are encouraged to contact info@pinpointstewards.co.za or register online www.pinpointstewards.co.za.  Special discounts when registering before  1 July applies.  Pinpoint Stewards sponsor 20 post-graduate students to attend each year to find a mentor or job shadow opportunity at the two-day conference. 

Ankia Roux adds: “We are not the experts in mining but get woman together to strategise and motivate one another to not give up, but add more women to the sector”

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