SEPTEMBER 2013 SEPTEMBER 2013

New Training and Skills Development P6Initiatives

Bakubung primary teacher shines P2 A healthy Women’s Day celebration P8PBAA taking performing arts to another level P5

On 16 August, Wesizwe Platinum held yet another Stakeholders Forum at the Sundown Ranch Hotel. The meeting was attended by local NGOS,

local taxi association representative, school principals, community members, the honorable Kgosi Solomon Monnakgotla, royal family elders, together with Dikgoro. The Forum was chaired by Mr Hamlet Morule, Wesizwe’s Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations Executive, who formally welcomed attendees to the event.

After the adoption of the previous Forum’s minutes, the meeting began with a project update from Mr. Eddie Mohlabi, Bakubung Platinum Mine General Manager, who reported that the mine has achieved a total of 373,345 fatality free shifts from date of blast up until 31 July 2013, and 86 injury-free days. Mr. Mohlabi also informed the gathering …that “not much has changed regarding the power supply since the last meeting and change can only be expected in the first quarter of 2016. Completed surface infrastructure work includes ventilation shaft pre-sink; permanent winder house steel structure and civil works; main shaft gear assembled and erected; and a kibble winder now in place. On procurement, progress has been satisfactory as capital goods and services targets have been achieved.”

Wesizwe’s communication program of activity is aimed at being more proactive and providing various communication platforms and engagement forums to meet the needs of the community.It looks to provide useful news and information on Wesizwe’s community services and progress being made at the mine, reported Mr. Tebogo Matima, on the stakeholders relations update. Platforms of communication used include a digital publication which is emailed free of charge to all community subscribers with e-mail addresses. The publication provides development information on the mine, and aims to encourage greater community engagement and understanding of both Wesizwe and the BPM project. In the last three months, Wesizwe officials have been involved in radio interviews on issues such as school renovations in Ledig, Youth Month commemorations, mine updates, a careers expo, and initiatives undertaken as part of Mandela Day.

Another communication tool used between the mine and the community is the Ledig Sun Newspaper which provides information on forthcoming community meetings and events, news on community members who are making a difference, and reports on progress at the mine. The newspaper has been fully registered as an NPO and received a Tax Clearance Certificate approved by SARS on 2 August 2013. Principals Association Chairperson, Mr. Mollo, suggested that the newspaper also be delivered at schools to promote the culture of reading among learners. Wesizwe is now seeking support to provide capacity and advance the independence of the newspaper. Youth has proven to be an integral part in information circulation and, as a result, the SEF Advisory Forum was created. These youth organisations’ representatives, who meet on a needs basis,

have contributed to past events such as the ‘African Affirmations’, a culture and arts event showcasing talent within the community, and the Bakgoni Sport Tournament held as part of Youth Month. They have also pledged to help in getting the Bakubung Sport Council off the ground. Regardless of so many communication tools being used between the community and Wesizwe, there are still those who are not aware of the progress being made. Organisations were therefore urged to report back to their constituencies and members, as well as urge others to register for the free digital newsletter.

As part of the SLP presentation made by Mr. Lion Phasha, the ABET programme was reported to be doing better than previously reported. The total number of registered learners has increased from 81 to 89, but a constant concern remains the lack of commitment from the learners to

The Stakeholders’ Forum makesgood progressBy a Ledig Sun Reporter

Royal Family representatives – Rakgadi Balokile Tshabalala, Kgosi Solomon Monnakgotla and Rangwane Meshack Monnakgotla

September is Heart Awareness Month in South Africa and it has become evident that more

and more young people in their 30’s are dying of heart related conditions. Factors such as race, gender and even age, do not protect you from being diagnosed with a heart condition. Heart related conditions kill more people each year than cancer, and unfortunately the figures are still rising. But the good news is that most of these conditions can be prevented through healthy lifestyle changes, including exercise and healthy eating.

Whilst heart attacks remain the most commonly known heart condition in the world, there are still a number of other potentially fatal heart conditions, including coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathy, rheumatic heart disease and congenital heart disease, which is the malformation of the heart of an unborn baby. In a study undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO), it found that Ischemic heart

disease was one of the leading causes of death in the world between 2000 and 2011, according to the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD). Ischemia is a disease characterized by a reduced blood supply to the heart muscle due to coronary artery disease. The risks of getting this disease increase with age, smoking, high cholesterol levels, diabetes and hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. This heart condition is more common in men than women, and symptoms are the same as most other heart conditions, except with very severe chest pains, potentially leading to heart failure.

It is very important to know and understand the signs of potential heart conditions, as such knowledge might help to save your life. Common symptoms include chest pain or discomfort, almost like indigestion. Shortness of breath often comes along with such chest discomfort, but can also occur beforehand. Other symptoms include sweating, nausea, a feeling of light headedness,

upper body discomfort and upper abdominal pain.

Prevention is better than cure and, as a result, one should limit tobacco intake and alcohol consumption, lower blood pressure and decrease body fat if obese. It is important to take 30 minutes of exercise per day, five times a week. Also, finding hobbies that will keep one relaxed and stress free is important, as stress plays a major role in hypertension. Diet should also be changed in order to accommodate a lot of fruit and as many vegetables as possible. Treatment includes supplements which contain high doses of Magnesium. A new form of Dispirin that can be found at pharmacies may also be taken as they can help in lowering high blood pressure. In the most severe cases, a heart transplant is the best option. People worried about their heart health should contact their local doctor or clinic for advice.

Take care of your heart and enjoy a longer life By Zanele Sithole

A healthy Women’s Day celebrationBy Zanele Sithole

Ledig women came together to celebrate National Women’s Month this August at Ratheo

Primary School, defying the terrible weather conditions with pouring rain and strong winds. The Healthy Women’s Day celebration featured health screening for TB, diabetes, breast cancer, HCT (HIV Counseling and Testing) and pap smears. The event was supported by a range of health practitioners, which included Bakubung Clinic nurses andlocal General Practitioners. Also in attendance were Moses Kotane Hospital workers led by Mrs. Mokau, the Quality Director at the Hospital. In addition, representatives from I-TECH, Old Mutual and Re Mmogo Pholong also participated.

The main aim of the event was to raise health awareness and give basic health lessons to

women on the importance of regular preventative health checks in the past, health campaigns that were launched highlighted the need to further motivate women to undertaken health tests of any kind on themselves. This was found to be the case particularly when identifying serious illnesses such as breast cancer and cervical cancer, which when not detected early can spread to other parts of the body, sometimes leading to death. Mrs. Masilo, representing the Bakubung Clinic and one of the coordinators of the event, together with Ms. Mpumi Maepa from Moses Kotane Hospital commented that the event paid particular attention to raising awareness amongst women in the community of cervical cancer and breast cancer.

Cervical cancer is a kind of cancer that can be caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections (STI) and smoking. Symptoms include abnormal bleeding and lower abdominal pain. To aid the prevention of cervical cancer, one must refrain from unsafe sexual practices and have a Pap Smear test done once or twice a year. By taking this healthy preventative approach, if cervical cancer is detected early, then treatment can begin. There is also a vaccine available which reduces the risks of contracting the cancer,

known as ‘Gardasil’ or ‘Cervarix’.

Local resident, Ms. Dlamini, said of the event: ‘’I am very happy about this project because sometimes when we go to clinics or hospitals the waits’ is long. Often you find that on that particular day you go, they are not doing the Pap Smear. So today I am going to take advantage of the glorious opportunity to test for every illness. I just wish this could be done almost every three months maybe.’’

Although the early morning turn-out for the event was not so large due to the poor weather, local women began to flock in around midday. The women who volunteered to be tested were aged from 22 years and upwards.

One of the doctors who was based within the Ledig community and practicing locally, Dr Mejaele, said of the event: ‘’When we started this project back in 2007, the aim was to promote health education in such a way that women would perform self tests and avoid going to clinics and end up causing unnecessary back logs”.

After the event, all the women attending received t-shirts from Old Mutual as a souvenir of the occasion and as a reminder to stay healthy.

SEPTEMBER 2013SEPTEMBER 2013continued from previous page

Bakubung primary teacher shinesBy Zanele Sithole

Wesizwe Platinum has launched an important new initiative in the community, aimed at stamping out unethical behaviour, fraud and

misconduct in the mining sector and encouraging everyone to help in the fight to eradicate these problems. Wesizwe’s new Whistleblowing campaign actively encourages members of the public, company contractors and employees to report any wrongdoing they see in the mining sector on a day-to-day basis. By blowing the whistle and reporting any fraud or crime anonymously, it will help to stamp out crime in the sector for good. Wesizwe is determined that any whistleblower has the right to remain anonymous and the company will NEVER divulge the identity of a whistleblower. In addition, and to safeguard all those who blow the whistle on illicit activity, all reports are dealt with in confidence and at the highest level of management. Here is how you can blow the whistle and make a difference:

Call the Whistleblowers Toll Free Number - 0800 660632 orEmail: Information@whistleblowing.co.za or

Fax: 086 5222 816or Send us a letter:

Whistleblowers, PO Box 51006, Musgrave, 4062

The new ‘Whistle blowing’ campaign will encourage every citizen, employee, contractor and public servant to look to their conscience and report any criminal or fraudulent act they witness or hear about, whilst at the same time protecting their anonymity. Wesizwe encourages every individual either working at the Bakubung Platinum Mine site, providing services to the project, or living in the local community, to do the right thing and report any criminal or fraudulent act they see or hear about.

Remember, it costs nothing to make a call when calling from a landline number, and the benefits to the company and all its honest employees could be immense. So do your part and blow the whistle on any fraud, corruption or misconduct that you see or hear about. Remember, you will remain completely anonymous and you can report anything without fear of victimisation.

Bakubung-ba Ratheo Community meeting ends in disasterBy a Ledig Sun reporter

Blow the whistle on crime, fraud and corruption

Bakubung Primary School is privileged to have Mrs. Florence Setshogoe as

a teacher in their school, working with pupils in the foundation phase. Mrs. Setshogoe has been writing reading material for the foundation phase for the past three years, and the journey is still a long one for her.

This opportunity came to her in 2010 when she was approached to be a part of the team commissioned to write new reading material for the new curriculum that was to be introduced, known as the Curriculum Assessment Programme Statement (CAPS). Six HOD’s from different primary schools were chosen to write the reading material, each one attending specialist workshops and

training to ensure they fully understood and appreciated exactly what was required of them.

The first books that Mrs. Setshogoe wrote included a learner’s book, a learners workbook and a teacher’s guide for grade two. She later went on to write more reading and activity material for grades four through to grade six, together with her six woman team.

Mrs. Setshogoe commented on her experience, saying: ‘’I never in my wildest dreams thought that one day I would be writing books, especially for such delicate minds as the pupils of the foundation phase, but I am grateful and I am happy to know that I am helping in building the next generation and that motivates me even more.’’

Her career in the teaching industry started in 1988 when she began teaching at Madima Primary School, a post she held for fifteen years. She was promoted in 2003 as an HOD and was allocated to Monakato Primary School.

Unfortunately she was redeployed after three years and was then moved to Bakubung Primary School in Ledig in 2005. She received her Primary Teaching Certificate (PTC) at Tlhabane College were she later upgraded it to a Diploma in Teaching.

‘’Teaching and writing were never in my plans because my dream was to be a nurse; my brother was the one who was a teacher. Back then it was very different from the way it is now, as the only available careers were teaching, nursing and being a police officer. There wasn’t much choice in the career field, especially being a woman,’’ Mrs. Setshogoe continues.

Mrs. Tefu, another of the teachers involved in the initiative said: ‘’When we started it was difficult because we had to balance our schedules between teaching, being parents, and learning and writing the reading material. We had to juggle the time between the three accordingly.’’

Although it has been a while since they began this special writing journey, much of their success still has to sink in. Each of the writers constantly has to look at their names printed on the books just to remind themselves that their accomplishments are real.

Mrs. Setshogoe is now busy undertaking a Leadership Diploma through Potchefstroom University.

Mrs. Florence Setshogoe

Attendees at the Stakeholder Forum listen to presentations Wesizwe staff members participate in the Stakeholder Forum Participants at the Stakeholder Forum

Examples of the learner’s books written by Mrs Florence Setshogoe Blow the whistle today!

A meeting held at the Tribal Office in Ledig on Saturday 10 August 2013 was postponed to

07 September 2013 after a fight started during the meeting. The gathering was a follow-up to a unanimous decision by the community at an earlier meeting held on 04 May 2013; that the defunct tribal council give an account of how community funds were invested, as claimed by the defunct council and Musa Capital. The purpose of the meeting was to provide feedback on the resolutions that were taken at that meeting. A decision was also to be taken regarding the problem of illegal land invasion and informal, unregulated settlements.

The chair-person of the meeting; Administrator Jeannette Dibetso-Nyathi, announced that a request had been made to Wesizwe Platinum by the royal family to update the community on the clinic refurbishment progress. Pilanesberg National Park, who was experiencing vandalism of the security fence barricading animals from the Ledig community, had also requested to address the community regarding this issue. It was decided that the two would be given an opportunity to address the gathering before the main issue of the meeting (the issue of community funds) is tabled for discussion. It was recommended from the floor that the community be allowed to “air their linen” in the absence of Wesizwe Platinum and Pilanesberg National Park officials.

Wesizwe Platinum representative, Mr. Lion Phasha, reported that Wesizwe is pleased that a Memorandum of Understanding has now been signed in July 2013 with the North West Department of Health and that the project can proceed. Mr Phasha also indicated that for the clinic management and community members who receive health services at the clinic at its current state are in dire urgency for the facility to be upgraded. Mr Phasha proceeded to update the gathering on progress made regarding the choice of the main contractor, and binding clauses in the contract that obliged the main contractor to sub-contract local businesses and hire labour locally (Ledig). Mr. Phasha continued to ask the community to assist in creating a common communication tool between them so that Wesizwe’s commitment to employ local labour and to offer business opportunities to

local contractors is realised. Phasha emphasised to the community that the project will continue as planned.

One community member asked why Wesizwe attended the meeting as Wesizwe did not want to engage with the community of Ledig. Mr Phasha reported that Wesizwe was invited to the meeting by the community leadership and that as far he know, Wesizwe is committed to work with the Bakubung community and that the Wesizwe team is committed to the development of the local communities. Following a question about the main contractor not being from Ledig, Mr Phasha explained that no Ledig contractor qualified to become the main contractor (given CIBD rating and capacity), and the conditions for sub-contracting aimed to ensure that this gap is closed. Wesizwe also plans to support local SMMEs through agencies like SEDA and partners such as Aveng Mining.

Despite Mr Phasha’s explanation, a number of questions were asked by a small section of the community members who gathered. They started asking that as a community they needed to know whether the contractor originated in Ledig; and if that was not the case the extension project be put on hold till a contractor from the community was found. They also demanded that the administrator call a contractor’s meeting since Wesizwe is failing to do so. Mr. Phasha was unable to answer all questions raised as it became clear that this section of the community was intending to disrupt the meeting.

Another reason some community members were not happy about was the way the Stakeholder’s Forum was being run, saying it was one sided and the same people who received tenders to work in the village and the mine were from the forum. Another problem was the flow of information from the forum that it was not reaching them as a community. This despite the often-repeated explanation that the Stakeholders Engagement Forum was not a “public community meeting”- as Wesizwe cannot on its own call a community meeting- but a meeting between Wesizwe and stakeholder organisations representing the community. Such organisations are expected to report back to their constituencies and members within the community on deliberations and

decisions taken at the forum. Every Stakeholder engagement forum begins with an audit of those stakeholder organisations that have reported back, and a call on those that have not, to do so! A community member, Ms. Thembi Khetsi,stood up and said that Wesizwe is trying to bring development in Ledig but that this process is held ransom by a few individuals who are not interested to see the community grow. She challenged the meeting that development will continue to happen in Ledig and that themselves (as local business people) will support all development initiatives necessary for the community. Ms Khetsi was shouted down and as a result a fight erupted among some members of the community who gathered. She was shouted down and accused of siding with “the enemy”. Both Mr. Phasha and the Parks Board representatives were also verbally abused by sections of the audience, who seemed hell-bent on disrupting proceedings and forcing the meeting to collapse. Mr Phasha and representatives of Parks Board left the meeting. Despite numerous attempts to get to the main purpose of the gathering (the issue of community funds), the rowdy elements within the audience made it impossible for constructive discussions to take place.

Administrator Jeanette Dibetso-Nyathi said, ‘’I am very much disappointed by what just happened here because I was beginning to see a way forward together, but when things like this happen this proves to me that we still have a long way to go. I have no choice but to postpone the meeting till September and should such behavior continue I will have you personally arrested.’’

Mr. Mdluli, a community elder present at the meeting was not at all pleased with the way things happened. He said he would like to see the Ledig youth working together to not against each other as that will bring them nothing, they will continue being an embarrassment to themselves and to other villages. They need to imitate other successful communities. It is hoped the meeting of 07 September will proceed peacefully and give final clarity on this matter of community funds and where they’ve been invested.

complete the programme. The recent update shows that 20 learners wrote their examinations and 18 passed. Phasha also reported that daily water supply to 35 tanks in the community and to funerals - as and when requested by the community through the traditional administration - is continuing. Wesizwe is awaiting MKLM assistance with water testing and tank cleaning. The challenge of the water supply project is that there is still no ownership within the community, and water tanks continue to be vandalized. Wesizwe requests all water related issues to be directed to local councilors for municipal attention.

The Pilanesberg Bulk Water Supply plan is still going ahead and Maseve confirmed their commitment to support the project. Bricklaying and carpentry training (the portable skills training programme) has been completed by two groups of trainees in July and August. After a successful completion of phase 1 and 2 of school refurbishments, more school infrastructure projects will follow. These will include paving of Ledig and Phatsima schools, rebuilding ablution blocks, and general repairs to school buildings. Local contractors and labourers will be sought and projects will commence in August 2013. The local clinic has been identified as another place in need of refurbishment. A contractor has been appointed and is currently identifying local sub-contractors to undertake work on the project, as a condition from Wesizwe. Renovations for the youth centre are underway and the clinic construction will commence early August 2013 and finish early 2014.

Workforce statistics showed that the number of locals hired by contractors increased from the previous report as presented by Ms Basetsana Ramaboa, Wesizwe’s Human Resources Executive. Disciplinary cases have also gone down from 92 cases to 39 cases. Candidates who were chosen for learnerships are doing very well and are expected to complete their programme in 2015. Learnership, sponsorship and bursaries opportunities are available for 2014. “The single most concerning factor has been the failure of our bursars to pass their first year of study”, Ms. Ramaboa lamented. “We are looking at a 70% failure rate, and this is very worrisome. More deserving candidates miss this opportunity, which gets wasted by those that are given the chance but fail to exert themselves”. She urged elders and community role models to counsel and coach first-time bursars to work hard and use the opportunities they get wisely.

This session of SEF also saw a presentation by Cathy Theron, Environmental Consultant at Wesizwe, who provided an overview of Environmental Laws in South Africa, what the company is doing to monitor and preserve the environment, and what monitoring role the community can play in preserving the environment. There are programmes planned that will in future get the youth and learners more actively involved in environmental issues.

The next SEF will be held in December, and organisations were urged to continue communicating with Wesizwe in order to receive the latest news and information.

SEPTEMBER 2013 SEPTEMBER 2013

September 24 is National Heritage Day, one of our public holidays declared as a national

holiday by the first democratically elected government of South Africa on 24 September 1995. It is a day when every South African gets a chance to express and celebrate their diverse cultures, traditions and customs - a day when all South Africans can reflect on their origins.

The importance of National Heritage Day can be seen as a celebration of the various South African cultures which are intertwined to form our beautiful rainbow nation. Heritage Day is the celebration of all our different languages, tribes, differing origins, expressions, the food we eat, as well as the land we live in. This day is also about coming together and proving to the world that we as South Africans, regardless of the colour of our skin, have come a long way from the apartheid era to the freedom that we enjoy today.

Heritage in South Africa is defined by who we are, the things that make us unique, and the way we do things. Heritage Day was created to celebrate all of this variety resulting in different citizens sharing and learning about each others cultures. On this day, various cultural and traditional events are held where people dance as a form of cultural expression, celebrate language, enjoy different foods and enjoy different forms of music and theatre. This day gives every South African a chance to proudly display and reveal their achievements as a nation, and at the same time unite and look forward to a much better future.

South Africa is a country rich in various cultures and traditions including attractive tourist and heritage sites, places that make us shine brighter than other nations. These include our beautiful game reserves, wine estates in the Cape, the beautiful uShaka Marine World in Durban,

not forgetting the majestic Palace of the Lost City here at home, to name but a few. Other heritage sites in South Africa include museums and monuments such as Hector Peterson and Mandela Museums. Places like these represent and bring to life the stories of the people of the past.

There are many different kinds of national heritage, in particular our national flower the Protea. On National Heritage Day, we should remember the importance of preserving and conserving our natural landscapes. As people we must not forget where we have come from, as well as where we are going to in our future. In that way, we will never forget our heritage.

Look after our trees this Arbor Week

Proudly Bakubung Arts Academy was formed in November 2012 by Keorapetse Maduna,

together with five other management team members, after she was invited to create a group to perform at the Federation for a Sustainable Environment (FSE), under the guidance of Councilor Chonko Monnakgotla. The arts group accommodates twenty talented youngsters from the ages of nineto fourteen years, and focuses on a variety of arts performances include drama, praise poems, cultural dancing and b-boy dancing. Bafokeng Land Based Association (BLBA) sometimes provides support in the form of donations to the group and invites them to perform at some of their events.

One of the original aims for the creation of the group was to get children off the streets and help them to avoid some of the negative things that can happen on the streets such as crime and drugs. Recently, the Academy was fortunate to be given an opportunity to take part in the filming of a few scenes of a movie being shot at Sun City, with the children appearing alongside actors such as Terry Crews from the USA.

‘’I am very happy that I am the teacher to these children because they are a pleasure to work with; they are always ready and willing to take on the task at hand. I never have to push them to get their moves right or remember their lines when we are doing drama, they are always ready and prepared,’’ says Keorapetse, their teacher at the Academy.

The Proudly Bakubung Arts Academy is currently receiving funding from the Federation for a Sustainable Environment (FSE), although due to money constraints, the organization still requires members to take money from their own pockets in order to attend shows. The Academy is currently busy providing costumes for the performers – it has finished the attire for the girls and is now busy making the boys’ uniform. One of the Academy’s most ground breaking dramas performed, and one which earned them a large number of fans, is called ‘Real Happenings’. The story is based on events and life around Ledig. Another favourite amongst local performance goers is a play called ‘Sylvester and Passion’, which focuses on the subject of substance abuse among the youth in this day and age. The aim of this drama is to encourage the youth to stay away from drugs. All the young members of the Proudly Bakubung Arts Academy are scholars at the local Bakgofa Primary School, where they are also involved in traditional dancing and drama performances.

Mpho Nkomo, a praise poet, said: ‘’I never thought I had the ability to change my voice the way I do when I recite my poems. My teacher, Miss Keorapetse, has planted a seed in me and my fellow praise poets. The Proudly Bakubung Arts Academy is a dream for us, a candle in the dark.’’

Ms. Keorapetse is also an artist herself, winning second place at Baswa le Metsi where

contestants where required to write poems about water conservation at a national level. In 2006, she was asked to perform praise poems for the teachers’ awards, as a learner from Bakgofa Primary School. Most of the plays performed by the Academy are created by her.

Bheki Khubeka, another member of the group, is most happy about the introduction of homework and projects day. On that day, there is no practice done by the young Adademy members, but work is undertaken on school projects where their leaders provide guidance and support since they are all at school.

Notwithstanding all the challenges they are facing as a group, ultimately success is all they are aiming for. They would like to become a household name in Ledig for arts performances and even though some of the local Ledig residents have started to take notice of them, they would really like to continue to grow.

Celebrate your national heritage this monthBy Zanele Sithole

PBAA taking performing arts to another levelBy Zanele Sithole

Local young people complete Wesizwe Platinum’s Portable Skills Training Programme in carpentry and bricklaying

On 23 August 2013, Wesizwe Platinum hosted a graduation ceremony for 55 young people

from Ledig, Phatsima and Mahobieskraal who have just completed the portable skills training programme. Training started in June 2013 and was completed during the month of August 2013. The event was held at Wesizwe’s regional office in Boshoek.

These committed young people each spent 45 days attending learner training sessions

and undertaking practical work provided by the Tjeka Training Matters (Pty, Ltd), a training service provider experienced in providing portable skills training around the country. The aim of the portable skills training was to provide life-long skills for the local community members, thereby addressing unemployment as well as improving the livelihood of local people. The learners who completed the training can now use the skills they have acquired to provide services to the local community and also to advance their professional interests in carpentry and bricklaying. They now have the standards required to satisfy the challenges of participating effectively in the building and construction industry. Some of the key skills covered by the training include: application of health & safety to work areas, setting out and preparation of

construction masonry work areas, stripping of foundations, building of foundation walls, building of masonry superstructures using solid units, etc.

Mr. Lion Phasha (Wesizwe’s Project Manager) opened the ceremony and congratulated the learners on their achievement. He mentioned that Wesizwe is encouraged by the commitment of local young people from around the mine who are taking charge of their lives and are open to learning new skills to advance their livelihoods. He added that it is in Wesizwe’s interest to seek the services and utilise the skills of these local young people to support the mine’s infrastructure projects where possible.

One of the local graduates (Michael Magadlela) commented on his training and newly found skills: “Now I have a meaningful and credible nationally recognized skill and a qualification. This certificate will enable me to gain access to employment and also allow me to advance entrepreneurial opportunities in the field of construction. I can use my certificate anywhere and no one will ever take it away from me”. Another graduate also added: “The training was very useful and intense. I have learnt lots in these few weeks of training and I am confident to use the skills I have acquired to seek employment”.

During his presentation, Mr. Louis Fourie (Wesizwe Construction Manager) encouraged the graduates to consider establishing their own businesses since the training has exposed them to first-hand experience in the industry. Although the construction business is not an easy field, he said: “You can succeed if you are committed to the cause”. He mentioned that the current challenge is to find local contractors who have themselves undergone training and have required skills in their chosen trade.

Participation and eligibility to join the portable skills training programme was open to all interested local community members, and applications were invited by Wesizwe through notices within the surrounding communities.

Every year, South Africa celebrates Arbor Week from 1-7 September with the aim of

promoting and creating a better life for all in our communities across the country. National Arbor Week is time to call on all South Africans to help to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.

The Arbor Week campaign encourages government, the private sector, non-governmental and community based organisations and the public to be involved in "greening" their communities. It is important for the public to join hands with partners in local government and community-based organisations to create greener environments that everyone can enjoy.

Greening refers to an integrated approach to the planting, care and management of all vegetation in urban and rural areas, for the benefit of local communities. Greening in the South African context takes place in towns, townships and informal settlements specifically because in the past the latter mentioned areas were disadvantaged in terms of planning for parks as well as tree planting in streets and open spaces.

In South Africa, Arbor Day was first celebrated in 1983. The event captured the imagination of people who recognized the need for raising awareness of the value of trees in our society. As sources of building material, food, medicine, and simple scenic beauty, trees play a vital role in the health and well-being of our communities.

Collective enthusiasm for the importance of this issue in South Africa inspired the national government, in 1999, to extend the celebration of Arbor Day to National Arbor Week. From 1 to 7 September every year, schools, businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate in community "greening" events to improve the health and beauty of the local environment and propose a green future for South Africa.

Every year, Arbor Week chooses both an indiginous Common Tree and a Rare Tree of the year. This year’s trees of the year for Arbor Week are:

Common Tree – Virgilia Oroboides (otherwise known as the Blossom Tree or the Keurboom.

This year, two rare South African indigenous trees have been selected to celebrate Arbor Week. The first is the Grewia Occidentalis, otherwise known as the Cross-berry or the Kruisbessie.

The second rare indigenous South African Tree of the year is the Barringtoniaracemosa, affectionately known as the Powder-puff tree or the Poeierkwas-boom.

Skills training graduates presented with their certificates at Wesizwe offices

Lion Phasha, Michael Magadlela (bricklaying) and Louis Fourie

Lion Phasha, Moses Pile (carpentry), Frans Toua (CEO-Tjeka Training Matters)

SEPTEMBER 2013 SEPTEMBER 2013

Wesizwe is currently engaged in the development and roll-out of a number of Human Resource Development initiatives including

specialist skills training programmes, internships, bursaries and learnerships. Here is a small update on what is currently underway and planned for the near future......

Rock Drill Operator Programme Update

Wesizwe is going into partnership with Aveng Mining and is in the process of signing an SLA with the company. 15 community members have been selected through a process which began back in January to join the intensive skills development programe, which will last three months (104 working days in total), commencing on 1st September and ending mid-December. The programme will be run from Boshoek Training Centre in Rustenburg, chosen because of its close proximity to the Bakubung community.

From January next year, another potentially larger intake will commence in order to meet the onramping requirements of the Bakubung Platinum Mine project and specialist training requirements. The trainees emerging from this RDO programme will be certified as having gained specialist core business skills and will be highly employable within the mining industry marketplace, having been equipped with these much-needed, identified specialist skills.

Internship Programme

Based on Wesizwe’s business requirements, the company has advertised 9 internship positions across the wide spectrum of business activities including Engineering, Environmental, Safety, HR, Finance, Sustainability, Survey, Mine Overseer, GES Mechanical and Electrical, and IT. The internships are for people who are already qualified,

having attended university, college or specialist training centres, but who require practical training and experience. With the exception of the engineering internships, the rest will get a 3 month exposure to the business.

The company is taking on 3 engineering interns for 2013 and next year that number will rise and will include more junior engineers also. This approach ensures there will be a continual pipeline of qualified people to support the Bakubung Platinum Mine project in the future.

Bursaries Programme

Wesizwe plans to sponsor a number of bursaries over the next two years. In 2014, two bursaries will be offered to external candidates. The first is a full scholarship for the National Diploma in Accounting, and the second is a bursary for a National Diploma in Chemical

Engineering. The following year, a total of 14 bursaries will be offered to external candidates in the following specialist areas: Full Scholarship for Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (2); Full Scholarship for National Diploma in Accounting; Full Scholarship for BCom; National Diploma in Cost Accounting; Full Scholarship for Mining Engineering; Full Scholarship for Human Resources; Full Scholarship for Bachelor of Electrical Engineering; BTech Safety Management (4); Full Scholarship for Surveying (2). The current learners on the Wesizwe sponsored EDUMAP programme will be considered for bursaries for engineering studies as their performance at the moment is excellent.

Any candidate interested in knowing more about Wesizwe Platinum’s Bursaries Programme can visit the company websiste – www.wesizwe.com - or alternatively, request more information by contacting Wesizwe’s Regional Office for details.

New Training and Skills Development Initiatives

Serapa sa diphologolo sa Pilanesberg, se theilwe ka ngwaga wa 1979 ke mmuso wa

nagaselegae ya Bophutatswana ya maloba. Se ne sa fiwa maemo a “National Park” ka ngwaga wa 1984. Go ne ga thankgollwa letsholo la go fudusiwa ga diphologolo le le neng le bidiwa“Operation Genesis” ele le legolo go gaisa mo ditiragalong tsa naga e. Diphologolo di feta 6000, di ne tsa fudusiwa go tswa dirapeng tse di farologaneng go ralla bophara jwa Afrika Borwa le naga tse di mabapi, mme ga jaana Pilanesberg e ipela ka go nna nngwe ya dirapa tseo baeng baka bonang “Big Five”, mmogo le mefuta e mengwe e mentsi ya dibatana, diphologolo tse di fulang, digagabi, le dinonyane. Serapa se, se gogela baeng ba le bantsi go tswa mafatsheng a kwa ntle le mono Afrika Borwa, mme se tumile ka gore bontsi ba diphologolo di ka bonwa ngwaga otlhe; eseng fela ka ditlha tse di rileng. E tla re mo dingwageng di se kae tse di tlang, serapa se bo se keteka dingwaga di le 40 se theilwe.

Go thewa ga serapa go amile metse le merafe e le mentsi mo kgaolong ya Mankwe, moo phulo le masimo di ne tsa tswewa mo bathong go nna bontlhabongwe ba serapa. Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela, ba eleng bone banni ba ntlha ba kgaolo e, ba ne baamega thata fa metsana le meraka ya bona e ne e tsewa go nna karolo yaserapa sa diphologolo.Motse wa Ipopeng/Ledig, le one o ne wa amega. Lefatshe le Bakubung ba neng ba fudisa leruo la bona mo go lona, le ne la kampellwa gonna bontlhabongwe ba serapa se. Bontsi ba ne ba solofetse go bona tiro kwa serapeng, kgotsa mo madirelong a a amanang le tsa bojanala. Le jaanong, baagi ba santse ba solofetse go le gontsi go tswa kwa botsamaising ba serapa se sa diphologolo.

Jaaka re keteka kgwedi ya ngwao-boswa, bontsi bo santse bo sa itse botlhokwa jwa dirapa di tshwana le sa Pilanesberg, le gore; ntle le diphatlha-tiro, ke eng se baagi baka ikunelang sona mo serapeng se. Go bontsha gape fa baagi ba le kitso potlana ka ditshono tse ba ka iponnang tsona go tswa mo baeting baba etelang serapa go tswa gaufi le kgakala. Go dirwang go tsibosa baagi ka ditshono tse di leng teng? Boleng ba serapa jaaka setheo sa thuto, segolo jang mo bashweng; ke bofe? Go na le tshono ya go ba ruta ka kamano ya motho, tlhago, le dibupiwa tse dingwe tse re phelang le tsona mo lefatsheng. Se ke nngwe ya dikgato tse di tsewang ke North West Parks and Tourism board go ruta bana ba dikolo ka botlhokwa jwa tlhago le mosola wa go e sireletsa.

Go nnile le dipego tsa gore baagi ba Ledig/Ipopeng, ba senya le go wisa trata e e kampeletseng diphologolo mo serapeng. Batlhankedi ba Pilanesberg National Park ba tshwentswe thata ke tiragalo tse, mme ba tsene letsholo go lemosa baagi kotsi ya go senya trata. Diphologolo di tshwana le ditlou, ditshukudu, dinare, mmogo le dibatana tse di kotsi di ka sutlha mme tsa tlhagisetsa baagi kotsi ee seng kanaka sepe. Go senngwa ga trata, go dira gape gore motlakase oo tlabolang diphologolo ga di atamela trata o kgaoge. Ka jalo, di ka e tlola bonolo, di sa tshabe go fisiwa ke motlakase. Batlhankedi ba serapa, ba ikaella go bowa gape mo motseng, ba leke go lemosa baagi kotsi ya go senya trata, le botlhokwa jwa serapa mo go godiseng ikonomi ya profense ya rona.

Pilanesberg National Park – a valued centre for our natural heritage

Manyane gate entrance

Entrance to Pilansberg National Park

Young people learning bricklaying skills

Young learners gain useful new skills and training