JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Gold and platinum mining company Sibanye-Stillwater on Wednesday highlighted its expansive array of community development projects that are contributing to a future where near-mine communities are thriving and self-sustaining.

In online gold and platinum booklets, the Johannesburg- and New York-listed mining company outlined a multiplicity of wide-ranging shared value initiatives in education, agriculture, skills development, health, wellness, social infrastructure, refurbishment and even supplying schools with essential educational tools such as WiFi.

“We remain committed to continuing the journey towards ensuring long-term, sustainable benefits for the communities around our operations," Sibanye-Stillwater executive VP stakeholder relations Thabisile Phumo stated in a release to Mining Weekly on Wednesday October 22.

“We believe the true value of mining extends beyond the resources we extract. It lies in ensuring that the positive impact we have on communities endures long after the life of our mines,“ Phumo added.

The Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act requires holders of mining or production rights to contribute towards the socioeconomic development of the areas in which they are operating as well as the areas from which the majority of the workforce is sourced.

The focus is on social and labour plans (SLP), which are guided by the Mining Charter. SLPs are a regulatory requirement for socioeconomic development and transformation in South Africa and are delivered following implementation plans agreed in the specific SLPs of each mining right.

In gold, Sibanye-Stillwater has eight SLPs in place, which apply to gold mines in South Africa’s Gauteng, Free State and Mpumalanga provinces, and in platinum the nine SLPs it has in place apply to its platinum group metals mines in South Africa’s North West and Limpopo provinces.

Phumo’s view is that value must be created that has long-term outcomes and enduring societal impact.

“Fostering sustainable socioeconomic opportunities is key to reducing communities’ dependence on mining operations and addressing the interconnected challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality.

“We acknowledge that the path to sustainability is not without its challenges. Maintenance and vandalism continue to threaten the longevity of certain projects. Many local SMMEs face an uphill battle to remain viable in a volatile economy,” she pointed out.

“Additionally, we have seen how the breakdown of relationships among project beneficiaries can undermine impact and stall progress. These realities strengthen our resolve to work even more collaboratively – to build stronger, more resilient systems that support ongoing capacity building, accountability and inclusive participation.

“Since inception, we’ve consistently delivered socioeconomic benefits to our communities. Our aim is to ensure these benefits have a lasting impact by developing our communities into trusted partners for continued growth.”

Education is central to the endeavour and a key SLP objective is to expand the educational skills base through the construction of school infrastructure, provision of sports facilities, and equipping schools with essential educational tools.

Since 2017, Sibanye-Stillwater has constructed and refurbished seven schools and provided WiFi to 18 schools. Mathematics and science programmes have been introduced at 17 schools in Bojanala district municipality.

The school WiFi initiative enables students from grade 10 to grade 12 to research assignments and practicals and enables teachers to use the smartboard for more interactive teaching. In addition, schools that do not have mathematics and science laboratories use the WiFi for simulations.

Access to quality healthcare is vital for the long-term health of communities and the provision of healthcare infrastructure prioritises the well-being of employees, their families and communities.

In keeping with its commitment to healthcare, the company has delivered two ambulances, one emergency response vehicle and essential medical equipment to the community of Bojanala.

Its vision for post-mining centres on economic upliftment and the development of sustainable alternative economies to provide benefits to host communities that will endure for generations to come.

The Mineworkers Development Agency is its partner in the development of the Marikana Agri-hub, which is scaling up beyond the 16 ha of land it occupies.