JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Diversified mining and renewable energy company Exxaro on Monday pledged a further R3.45-million aid in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, while also releasing its integrated sustainability report and making available its audited financial statements for 2019.

The latest R3.45-million to assist the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces comes on top of Exxaro’s donation of R20-million to the Solidarity Fund, and will be used to meet community needs such as improving water and sanitation infrastructure, supplying food parcels and providing personal protective equipment.

Also released was the JSE-listed company’s full integrated annual report reflecting the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, which is available for viewing and downloading from the company’s website, as are its audited group annual financial statements for the 12 months to December 31.

“We’re committed to playing our part to ensure the country’s ability to fight Covid-19 effectively. The Solidarity Fund is a powerful example of how South Africans can stand together in times of crisis,” Exxaro CEO Mxolisi Mgojo stated in a media release to Mining Weekly. 

The funds donated would assist in:

• dispensing support for the healthcare system, augmenting the needs of private and government healthcare sectors, and enabling emergency supplies;
• providing humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable households and communities; and
• mobilising citizens while inspiring behavioural change to flatten the curve and manage the pandemic through the Solidarity campaign.

Thermal scanners, surgical gloves, masks and sanitisers worth R525 650 have been donated to clinics around Exxaro’s operations. Self-screening questionnaires are being completed by employees. Suspected cases of the coronavirus are being referred for testing at pre-approved laboratories. Thermal scanners have been installed at all access control points. The development of private testing capacity at selected operations is under evaluation. Several facilities have been arranged for quarantine and self-isolation.

“Never before has there been a more pressing need for all South Africans to stand together and do our part in the fight against the pandemic,” said Mgojo.

INTEGRATED REPORT

Exxaro announced that its full integrated annual report and ESG performance were available on its website at https://www.exxaro.com//investors/integrated-reports, with hard copies available on request. Summarised annual financial statements together with the front section of the report are also available through jdebie@singular.co.za, telephone +27 82 691 5384 

In line with the company’s commitment to the corporate values of honest reliable reporting and responsible mining, Exxaro executive head stakeholder affairs Mzila Mthenjane stated that the company was committed to providing stakeholders with an integrated report reflecting its commitment to sustainable development, given the South African socioeconomic and environmental context, and determination to entrench effective governance and global best practices in all operations.

AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The company announced that its audited group annual financial statements for the year ended December 31 were available from the company’s website at https://www.exxaro.com/investors/integrated-reports. Also available were the supplementary report, tax report and mineral resources and mineral reserves statement for the year.

BLACK MOUNTAIN

As a result of the investment in Black Mountain being classified as a discontinued operation, Exxaro stated that its condensed group statement of comprehensive income had been re-presented. On November 30 last year, Exxaro classified the Black Mountain investment as a non-current asset held-for-sale.

A report in Business Report stated that both Mgojo and CFO Riaan Koppeschaar took double-digit pay cuts last year as coal prices and inflation resulted in the business units being unable to achieve their net operating operating profit targets. Mgojo, the ESG report stated, took a 27% pay cut in 2019, resulting in his total remuneration falling by R11-million.