Coal mining company Kangra’s initiative to recruit and upskill women has continued to gain momentum as 23 young women were recruited either as employees or trainees in the last two years.

The company’s Women in Mining initiative, which started in 2021, has given local young women from the host community in the municipal jurisdiction of Mkhondo, Mpumalanga, and adjacent areas, an opportunity to train and receive a Mining Qualification Authority certification.

“With the training provided, these women become competitive in the labour market and their chances of being employed by other companies increases substantially. This initiative strives to encourage other women to join the mining sector, with success stories being shared with the cadets’ family, community and colleagues,” says Kangra human resources manager Elford Mayixale.

This initiative benefits women at all occupational levels of mining by providing training, facilities specifically designed for women in the workplace, and mentors who constantly evaluate them to foster improvement.

He adds that Kangra, through its initiative, is “breaking the barriers of discrimination” faced by women in mining by ensuring that the company complies with the Department of Labour’s employment equity policies.

Further, Kangra provides opportunities for women through its continuous support and guidance in navigating the company structure.

“The company has played an important role in women’s empowerment and career development through its investment in training women. These training programmes have produced women mineworkers, boilermakers and electricians, and we hope that they will continue to empower more women,” enthuses Mayixale.

Kangra aims to support its female staff and develop them at all levels throughout the company while increasing the number of women in leadership positions over the next five to ten years.

Success Stories

Kangra is represented by female staff throughout its operations.

Kangra shift boss Nonkululeko Yende and underground electrician Buyo Yende hope to encourage more women to join the industry, being the first women in the company to occupy such positions.

“I believe being the first female electrician working for the company has encouraged more women to join the company and has, in turn, encouraged Kangra to recruit more woman electricians than they have in previous years,” adds Kangra electrician Sibongile Nkosi.

Nkosi highlights the challenges she faced which include having to prove herself as capable of working in the industry.

Kangra underground boilermaker Lungile Nzimande also comments that her role is physically demanding, which proved challenging at first, as she felt she had to prove her capabilities to her male counterparts.

“It was difficult for me to get used to handling heavy material and I felt intimidated to enter this male-dominated field, but I proved that I was their equal and gained their respect.”

They all note that, despite challenges, they have gained invaluable insights by working in the mining industry.

“At times I felt as if I was incapable of performing my duties. However, I have overcome these challenges and gained the respect of my team,” expresses Nonkululeko Yende.

Further, Mayixale says Kangra is dedicated to increasing the number of women working for the company.

“Kangra is continually running educational programmes for employees to ensure that women are treated fairly to address and, in turn, eliminate sexism and prejudice,” he concludes.