JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Anglo American plans to establish 12 new enterprise development hubs in high unemployment areas in South Africa in an attempt to create 25 000 new jobs and up to 1 500 new businesses over the next seven years.

The mining group announced on Thursday that it has committed itself to the Business Call to Action (BCtA), a global initiative that challenges companies to apply their business expertise and technology to tackle poverty, promote growth in developing countries and contribute to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The new enterprise development hubs would be established through Anglo American’s Anglo Zimele enterprise development fund.

The group would provide financing for small business start-up funds targeting the most vulnerable segments of society, in addition to providing mentoring and access to supply chain opportunities. 

It would also seek to further increase its enterprise development activities in Chile and Brazil, in future.

“We are delighted that the expansion of Anglo American’s long-established Anglo Zimele programme has been recognised by the BCtA and we are continuing to review further opportunities to grow this successful and enormously valuable community programme,” CEO Cynthia Carroll said.