CAPE TOWN (miningweekly.com) – World diversified major BHP Billiton was investing R360-million in a new employee housing village in South Africa’s Northern Cape province where the company mined manganese, BHP Billiton South Africa executive chairperson Dr Xolani Mkhwanazi said on Tuesday.

Mkhwanazi, who spoke to the Mining Indaba on the day the company reported a record $18.7-billion in ebitda earnings and $12.3-billion in cash flow from 130 mines in 25 countries, said the company had spent more than R200-million in South Africa in the last year on sustainability, corporate social investment, educational, environmental and enterprise development projects.

Some R130-million was being invested in education and youth development, the aim of which included the improvement of matriculation results in rural areas and the promotion of sport.

An investment of R120-million was being made in local enterprise development in South Africa in response to initiatives by the Department of Trade and Industry to reduce unemployment.

The company’s environment-related sustainability projects were being rolled out in Mpumalanga, Soweto and KwaZulu-Natal at a cost of R3.5-million.

In Mozambique, where the company smelts aluminium, it has spent R10-million on community development.

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