Mining is an important contributor to the South African economy and the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has come up with initiatives that actively support and promote women’s participation in the mining industry, says speciality chemicals company LANXESS, a member of volunteer nonprofit organisation Women in Mining South Africa (WIMSA).
WIMSA has established a forum to provide women in mining with the necessary support and guidance for personal growth, leadership and career development by building relationships with mining companies and the DMR.
Driven by the LANXESS Performance Culture objectives, LANXESS Chrome Mining (Pty) Ltd, in Rustenburg, was ideal for exploring solutions to the concerns and challenges raised by its women employed at the mine, especially those working underground. The results included the formulation of the Women in Mining (WIM) forum and investments made for the implementation of safety measures and working conditions which accommodate women in mining.
The LANXESS Chrome Mining WIM forum chairperson, Ruth Kgantsi, explains that the purpose of the forum is to enable the WIM forum to act as a positive agent of change in the mining industry. The forum’s responsibilities will include promoting and ensuring the retention of skilled and experienced women and guiding them towards occupying positions of leadership.
“The mine has now invested in a skills development programme, a standard code of practice that accommodates women, protective gear best suited for females, a buddy system that ensures no woman works or travels alone underground and the distress signal system, one of the few mines to do so,” says Kgantsi.