Although transformation is taking place in mining to ensure that more women form part of the industry, huge challenges still remain in trying to make mining conditions more suitable for women to work in – and this also applies at board and middle-management level.

“Since the announcement by South Africa’s Mining Charter that 10% of mining companies’ staff complement should be women, there has been some significant improvements; however, a lot of work still needs to be done across all levels of operations and mentoring to complement the notion of the charter,” says National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Carletonville region treasurer Perseverance Mosia.

She notes that, when it comes to operations development, the machinery used in most mines – such as the drilling machine – are still predominantly designed to be used by men. As a result, women still find the drilling machine difficult to operate because of its weight.

Also, though it was proposed in 2009 that personal protective equipment (PPE) change to accommodate women working in the mining environment, such as underground and/or operating heavy equipment, the issue still remains a huge challenge for women, as the industry is still awaiting the implementation of the proposal.

Accommodating pregnant women is also a challenge at some operations, as the industry is still reluctant to find alternative jobs for pregnant women in the industry.

However, despite the challenges women face in the sector, Mosia stresses, it is important that women start believing in themselves and prove to the industry that they can do any job efficiently when given the opportunity to do so. This can be achieved by women furthering their studies to ensure sustainable career paths within the mining industry.

Mosia highlights that, to accomplish this, women must work in the mining industry not because they cannot find employment elsewhere but because they are willing to do so and are confident in the work that they do. This will also embrace the idea of women in the industry being sufficiently qualified to occupy certain positions.

“Women have to start building their careers within the industry by identifying career opportunities in the geology, accounting, engineering, project management and electrical fields, which could afford them the opportunity to occupy managerial positions,” she notes.

Women have the opportunity to develop their skills even further through the support that NUM offers women who apply for courses at its Elijah Barayi Memorial Training Centre (EBMTC), in Midrand, Gauteng. The EBMTC partners with universities, such as the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and North West University (NWU), on such projects. When member enrols at the centre, the partnership allows for them to be enrolled at these universities for courses in business administration and economic development courses.

In the past year, the partnership between the EBMTC and NWU has resulted in 100  shop stewards – the majority of whom are women – having been enrolled at the NWU Potchefstroom Business School, where they are taught various business skills that are relevant to their work environment.

Mosia says, having completed the courses presented by the NWU business school, women are able to apply appropriate and effective communication and information management stategies in the workplace.
“The economic development course that I did through the partnership of the EBMTC and UWC equipped me with skills to deal with organisational matters, gauge the country’s economic development performances, assess economic growth and measure poverty, unemployment and inequality. I am also proud to be able to confidently represent NUM members [in cases where] they require the involvement of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.

“Through this course, I have also learned to be gender sensitive and accept people irrespective of their sexual orientation. I have taken the initiative and responsibility to plough back what I have learnt from the course by creating awareness among my colleagues at work . . . and friends about gender issues,” Mosia explains.

She concludes that it is important for women in the mining industry to succeed in breaking the barriers of gender stereotyping and lay a strong foundation for other women who may want to pursue a career in the mining industry.