Key performance area |
Current status and remarks |
Ownership and joint ventures
|
- Mvelaphanda Resources Limited, a BEE company,
owns 22.3% of Northam's issued share capital,
rendering Northam one of the foremost
empowerment companies in the platinum sector.
With Northam's planned acquisition of a 50%
interest in the Booysendal Project from Mvela,
Mvela's BEE stake in Northam is set to grow to
approximately 34%.
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Key performance area |
Current status and remarks |
Human resource development
The company employs some 6,800 people,
excluding contractors, which number approximately
1 200.
Efforts to transform the company's workforce to
reflect more accurately the demographic profile of
the country remain constrained by a lack of
appropriate skills on the one hand and on the other
by competition for the same skills from other mining
companies. Northam's single mine status is a further
impediment in this regard.
 Nevertheless, training remains a critical component
of the human resources development effort. Some
R16.5 million was allocated to training during the
year, equivalent to 3.7% of total labour costs.
|
- With the continuing success and popularity of
the adult basic education and training (ABET)
programme, capacity has expanded with the
addition of ten computers, while further
classrooms are planned to accommodate
employees on the waiting list.
- The Northam ABET centre is recognized by the
Mine Qualification Authority (MQA) and the
National Education Department as an
educational provider to the equivalent of
Grade 9 level.
- Functional literacy tests undertaken during the
year identified a 59% functional literacy level (i.e
ABET level 2 English).
- Since 2001 the ABET pass rate has improved by
almost 50%, from a rate of 67% in 2001 to
100% in 2004, with 428 passes. Also
encouraging is the increasing number of
employees enrolled and succeeding in the subjects
of numeracy, new technology and science.
- The focus remains on training to develop skills
and raise educational levels of HDSAs. Experiential training opportunities are provided
for bursars at tertiary institutions. Currently there
are 24 learnership positions, while six bursars
have completed their training in disciplines such
as engineering, mining and metallurgy.
- Employees are encouraged to advance their
educational and professional qualifications.
The company has made available R100 000
in interest-free study loans to employees for
this purpose.
- Northam currently employs 88 women in service
departments. Measures to integrate women into
the underground working environment are being
considered.
|
Key performance area |
Current status and remarks |
Migrant labour
|
- No discrimination against migrant and/or foreign
labour is tolerated. Employees are drawn from
the local area and from neighbouring countries.
The ratio of foreign vs local employees stands at
about 45:55 with deliberately integrated work
teams.
|
Key performance area |
Current status and remarks |
Mine community and rural development |
- Continuing assistance is provided for local
schools. The Northam/Telkom joint project at the
Ntsime School is ongoing, and the school already
has 20 additional computers and workstations.
Northam has made R1 million available for the new
Northam Comprehensive School, and is actively
involved in improving facilities at the Naletsana
School in Koedoeskop. (See page 22 and 23 for
further information on these and other rural
development initiatives).
- The company participates in the local and
provincial authorities' growth and economic
development programmes.
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Key performance area |
Current status and remarks |
Housing and living conditions
|
- Continuous improvements have been made to
the Madiba village, where the majority of the
employees live, while the promotion of home
ownership remains a focus. A housing forum,
with representation from management, the
employee body and the unions has been
established as a consultative forum to plot a way
forward. The results of a housing survey indicate
that most employees prefer to live in their own
houses in their home towns or place of origin.
Others prefer to live in their own homes in
Thabazimbi and Northam.
- To date a few employees have taken advantage
of the Greenstart/Modjateng housing project,
while the company is making further significant
progress in discussions with formalized financing
and developer institutions in identifying the most
appropriate home ownership options.
- Further consultations are also underway with the
local and provincial authorities on the purchase
of land to build houses for Northam employees.
- Improvements to the Madiba Village in 2003
included the upgrading of canteen facilities and
in the quality of nutrition for employees. During
the current reporting period further
improvements have been made. Three meals,
each offering two menus, are served on a daily
basis to some 4 800 residents. Strict quality
control of nutritional intake continues, with visits
by dieticians from Platinum Health and
inspectors from the Department of Health on a
regular basis.
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Key performance area |
Current status and remarks |
Procurement from HDSA suppliers |
- Northam is a member of the South African
Preferential Procurement Forum which has been
tasked by the Department of Trade and Industry
to compile a list of HDSA companies as defined
by the Mining Charter. In turn Northam is
allowed to access and draw from this database.
During the year the company put systems in
place to evaluate its own supplier database in
terms of HDSA compliance.
- Northam's procurement expenditure with HDSA
suppliers currently stands at 24.6%, growing
from 6% in 2003.
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Key performance area |
Current status and remarks |
Beneficiation |
- Studies are in progress with regard to expanding
Northam's refining capacity in South Africa.
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