AUGUST 2013
Bringing news and views to the Ledig Community
Wesizwe Platinum meets the youth at
Careers Expo!
P2
In Celebration of National Women’s Month
P4
Local church combats substance abuse
together with youth
P7
Interview with Basetsana Ramaboa
P8
Wesizwe Platinum and Top-Turf give more than 67 minutes on Mandela Day!
By a Staff Reporter
Evangelist Kaopa Mbele opening with a prayer
N
elson Mandela made it his life’s work to
fight for every South African citizen’s human
rights, and spent 67 years of his life pursuing this
ideal. In 2009, the United Nations declared 18
July as Nelson Mandela International day, and
issued a call to action for people all around the
world to make a difference in the lives of those
less fortunate than themselves. Each of the 67
minutes of voluntary service that is asked of us,
represents a year that Mandela spent fighting
for human rights. As South Africa and the world
got out and did their bit to honour Madiba on
this special day, Wesizwe Platinum staff rolled
up their sleeves and got down to some serious
dirty work!
The Bakubung Clinic was built in 1970 and the
original building still survives, and is used as a
youth center. The facility was later extended, and
officially re-opened in 1990, with added wards
and consulting rooms. With the passage of
time, it became clear that the existing structure
was not able to meet the
primary health care needs
of the residents, and
could not cope with an
ever-growing population
and demand for healthcare as prescribed by
the constitution. The
building was also in need
of serious repair and
sprucing up. In response
to the situation, Wesizwe
Platinum has undertaken,
as part of its Social Labour
Plan, to extend the
facility and build a brand
new and bigger clinic.
Construction on the new
project will commence
on 24 July 2013. This will
entail the construction of
a brand-new block, and a complete revamp and
refurbishment of the existing one. It is estimated
that the project will be completed by July 2014.
Spurred on by the recognition that healing does
not only depend on the administration of drugs
and strapping of bandages, but also includes
a healthy diet and an appealing environment,
Wesizwe approached Top-Turf, a gardening and
landscaping specialist company that has for the
past thirty years or so maintained the grounds
around the Sun City complex, to help regenerate
the front garden of Ledig Clinic. Tshepo Serame,
South Village Manager at Top-Turf, together
with Cecil Thompson, Acting Resort Manager,
gladly agreed to come on board. They not only
donated trees, shrubs, and ground covers for
the project, but also ensured that their crew
joined in the revamp of the garden! “The plants
we supplied are “water-wise”, and will survive
in this area under harsh, dry conditions”, said
Thompson. Once fully grown and developed,
the plants would also act as a shield against the
yearly dust storms that made life difficult for the
medical and cleaning staff at the clinic.
As the crew got their hands dirty in the garden,
other Wesizwe members got down to scrubbing
floors inside the clinic. Learners from Ratheo
Primary joined in and cleaned the windows,
while others picked up litter around the clinic
yard, and raked leaves and grass around the
grounds under the guidance of their teachers
Mrs. Mathebula and Mrs. Motsaalore. Some
members of the public, who had come in for
consultation, duly joined in, offering a helping
hand. Mrs Lerofye, a traditional healer who uses
the clinic grounds to provide herbs and healing
plants for those that need them, gladly joined
the crew and gave tips on the medicinal value of
some her plants.
Sister Nomsa Masilo, the Bakubung Clinic
manager, said: ‘’We are very happy and
appreciate receiving this kind of help from all
of you. A healthy environment and appealing
surroundings are also a part of the standards we
need to maintain as the Department of Health,
and we will do our level best to try and keep
both the garden and the yard as clean and waste
free as we can.’’
Oratile Maitshotlo, a learner at Ratheo Primary,
added: ‘’I am very happy to be doing this good
work for our clinic because it helps us a lot when
we are sick. People should always engage in
doing the 67 minutes, not only for today but
it should be a daily thing, and it should not
be spent doing wrong things such as drinking
alcohol. It should be done on things that will
benefit us in the future, just as Madiba did.’’
Meanwhile, other Wesizwe crew members went
into the neighbouring village to clean water
tanks. The company has over the past years,
as part of its social responsibility programme,
provided water tanks for the Bakubung
AUGUST 2013
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AUGUST 2013
3
Continued from page 1
community. Although the provision of water and
maintenance of tanks is a municipal function,
the crew felt it was their duty to lead the way!
The guys set out to bring the tanks down, treat
them with disinfectant, and pressure wash and
rinse them. They also repaired leaking joints
and taps, as well as sealing inlets to the tanks
to avoid contamination. After a long slog, all
crews regrouped at the clinic to congratulate
each other and shake hands on a good day’s
work done! Mrs Sekano, a village elder and
member of the Bakubung Clinic board, thanked
the crews for selflessly giving of themselves and
their time. She said their work will help everyone
to recognize their individual power to make an
impact and help change the world around them
for the better.
Wesizwe Platinum meets the youth at Careers Expo!
By a Staff Reporter
T
Learners from Ratheo Primary School play their part on Mandela Day
In Celebration of National Mandela Day at Wesizwe Platinum
office into action and invited people
to support the children’s ward at
Johannesburg General Hospital by
contributing R67 each to a fund which
would take a small food treat to the sick
children on the ward. Team Wesizwe
on Mandela Day consisted of Lireko
Ncube, Dimpho Maruping and Mpho
Matshidiso. A total of R1072 was raised
and was used to purchase McDonalds
happy meals which were taken to the
ward by the Team Wesizwe members.
Mpho Matshidiso, Dimpho Maruping and Lireko Ncube of Wesizwe Platinum
T
his month saw the people of South Africa
playing their part in giving 67 minutes of
their time to a good cause on National Mandela
Day. At Wesizwe’s head office, our very own staff
members joined in the spirit of the occasion and
made a difference to the lives of others.
Inspired by the words and actions of Madiba,
three Wesizwe staff members galvanised the
The idea came from Lireko originally who
wanted the company to contribute to
Mandela Day by visiting Johannesburg
General Hospital’s children’s ward,
taking gifts, praying with them and playing
with them. When the Wesizwe team arrived at
the hospital, they spoke to the ward sisters who
took them to the children’s ward - everyone was
very happy to see the team and their gifts. The
Wesizwe team got to spend a lot of time with
the children and the whole experience was
both emotional and fulfilling. The children had
a range of medical conditions and were being
treated for burns, broken bones, and brain
tumours, amongst other things. The children
were happy not only to receive the gifts, but
also to know that someone had given up their
time to spend it with them in hospital. The older
children understood the meaning of Mandela
Day but the younger children were just happy
to see people visiting them.
Speaking about the lasting memories that the
visit held for the team, Lireko said: “For me it was
too emotional, it left me wanting to do more and
something bigger next year in order to make a
difference. It also made me think that we should
not just wait for Mandela Day each year to
contribute, we should do things throughout the
year.” Dimpho added: “The visit made me realize
just how lucky we are as individuals – I have
children of my own and to appreciate that my
children are healthy and happy, whilst seeing
those children lying sick in hospital - it made my
heart break.”
he piazza at the centre of Waterfall Mall in Rustenburg was a hive of
activity as various companies interacted with shoppers during Careers
Expo 2013. The Wesizwe Platinum team were in attendance, ably led by
Recruitment Manager Brenda Modisane, and spent the five days of the
event giving friendly advice and helping potential students and interns
complete application forms and get to grips with mining as a potential
career. “Our main purpose is to reach out to young stakeholders with an
interest in pursuing a career in mining or mining-related disciplines. We’re
also here to promote Wesizwe’s vision of being a top employer of choice,
and prepare the industry for its future resourcing needs”, Brenda explained.
The Careers Expo has been in existence for many years. “Before the mall
was built, we used to hold it at the Rustenburg Show grounds,” explained
Marikie Visser of Marketing Mix, the company that organises and stages this
expo annually. “We moved to Waterfall Mall to capture a more diverse pool
of interested people under the more relaxed roof of a shopping mall. It’s also
been our experience that young people across South Africa frequently visit
shopping malls, and this presented an opportunity to catch their attention.
Anyway, since adverts went out in the local papers, lots of young people
have called to ask about the Expo”, Marikie added.
At the Wesizwe exhibition stand, it was all action as people stepped in to
ask questions about mining careers. Some lucky visitors and learners who
showed keen interest in Wesizwe and mining in general, received gifts of
appreciation from the team. There was also a contact register provided for
visitors and learners who required detailed technical responses to their
questions.
Wesizwe is offering a number of bursaries to study towards a degree or
diploma in the fields of Mining, Chemical, and Electrical Engineering for
the 2014 academic year. There are also learnerships and apprenticeships
available in the fields of Fitting & Turning, Diesel Mechanics, Boilermaking,
Riggers, etc. Brenda further explained that “…a learnership is a structured
Jan Hattingh: Resident Engineering Manager, Basetsana Ramaboa: HR Executive, Eddie Mohlabi:
General Manager and Brenda Modisane: Recruitment Manager at the Career’s Expo.
learning process for gaining theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the
workplace, leading to a qualification registered on the National Qualification
Framework (NQF). A learnership is outcome-based and not time-based
and allows for recognition of prior learning. Whilst the learnership does
not guarantee a job upon completion, it provides a qualification and work
experience to put the young person in a better position to get a job in the
marketplace”, Brenda explained.
There are limited positions available, and apprenticeships require some
basic qualifications before candidates can be considered. All enquiries
should be directed to 014 573 4908/9 or [email protected]
For the Wesizwe team, the experience made
them realize that just 67 minutes can make a
difference to the lives of those in need.
Peter Moruakgomo Foundation to give back to the community
By Zanele Sithole
T
Peter Moruakgomo
he whole idea behind the Peter
Moruakgomo Foundation is to find a
means of giving back to the community,
especially the youth. Work has already
been undertaken in KwaZulu-Natal and
Hammanskraal. The Foundation was
created through the Agisanang Society
which was established in 2006 and which
deals with developing youth skills and
motivational speaking. The Foundation’s
plan is community orientated but the
main focus is on changing the mindset of
the youth. There is a very high potential
in the youth of Ledig, they only lack
motivation and guidance in their chosen
fields.
The Foundation has already identified three schools in Ledig that will
assist in the implementation of the plan, including Tswaidi High School,
Itumeleng Secondary School and Mphuphuthe Primary Schools. These
are also the same schools that Peter attended whilst himself growing up
in Ledig. Focusing on the schools, the Foundation wishes to implement
the Triangular Structure Programme which aims at improving relations
between learners, parents and the teachers. The learner is put at the top of
the programme, whilst the teacher and the parent are both on the opposite
ends, in that way should the teacher or the parent not put enough effort
into fulfilling their responsibilities, the triangle will tilt and the learner will
fail. As a result, both parents and teachers need to work together to ensure
that education is received by the youth.
Lesego Motlhatlhedi: Stakeholder Relations Officer chats with a visitor
Brenda Modisane: Recruitment manager and visitors
Brenda Modisane, Recruitment Manager, meets with Bakubung Platinum Mine General
Manager, Mr Eddie Mohlabi
Linda Sithole: Geologist and visitors
Mr Keke Moeketsi, a partner in the Foundation, says: ‘’Another aim of the
Foundation will be to improve and close the gap between the younger
and older generations. The youth of today has become so dependent on
technology and the western ways of living that they still need teachings
about culture and tradition. There also has to be updated information
and learning on values, ethics and morals. We have also identified church
organizations as places where we can get the most help.’’
Peter’s message to the youth is simple: ‘’Get training in whatever is it that
you wish to do in life and always strive for positivity as that builds a great
future. Always put God in whatever you do and remember that I am what I
am because of him”.
AUGUST 2013
My favorite language is music
O
nkgopotse Leepile was born in the early 80s in Ledig as an only child
in a musical family. He started School at Mphuphuthe Primary School,
thereafter to Itumeleng Secondary and Tswaidi High school in Ledig, but
went on to complete his matric at Batleng High School. He continued his
studies and today holds a Diploma in Music Business and Theory. He realized
his singing abilities between the ages of six and seven years old because
music was an integral part of his family, and his father was a member of a
number of male choral groups.
‘’Music is something that was a part of my upbringing. As a result, I ended
up loving it to the point where I would forget the existence of every
other thing,’’ says Onkgopotse. He grew up listening to the likes of Ringo
Madlingozi, Hugh Masikela, Rebecca Malope and the late Vuyo Mokoena,
to name a few. Onkgopotse’s big break came when he won an award at an
event that was held at Mogwase stadium for aspiring local artists in the
Moses Kotane region in 2006, performing Ringo’s all time hit, “Ngyagodola”.
As a result, opportunities started to emerge for the young singer and he
was called to perform at the South African Embassy in Gaborone, Botswana
for a June 16 event as the only performer from South Africa. But his most
memorable performance was the Oppikoppie Ketapele Jazz festival that
was held in 2007, where he performed alongside musical legends and
childhood heroes, Hugh Masikela and Ringo Madlingozi.
‘’It was an even more amazing feeling because I sang immediately after Bra
Hugh and the people loved me. I will never forget that day because then
I felt I had made it. At the time there were already a lot of other hopefuls
who wished to be me, to see themselves on that same stage, but it was me.
Whenever I perform I always get standing ovations because I always invite
God into my work. I was born for this industry. I am very much thankful for
the fact that I was able to attend music school where I had the opportunity
to learn so much about music. The knowledge I gained there helped me
have the ability to change my voice for different music genres, as people
always tell me l sing like Vuyo or Rebecca sometimes,’’ he says with a wry
smile.
In 2010 he was a part of the group of artists who performed for fans at the
small designated performance areas established specifically for the Soccer
World Cup. He has released two albums to date, his first was released in
4
AUGUST 2013
Kabo ya metsi kwa masong: wa itse gore go dirwang?
By Zanele Sithole
Botswana and called “Ngwanyana” in 2007. His second album was released
here in South Africa and was called “Ke tsamaya le wena” in 2011. He is
currently busy with his third album called “Ke nna le wena” which is due to be
released later this year. Onkgopotse’s
music is a mix of gospel and afro pop,
and he also boasts considerable talent
as a songwriter and a session artist.
He has written a number of songs
including “Shaya ivuvuzela” which he
wrote for Platinum Stars and “Thank
You Wesizwe”, and he hopes the two
companies will buy the songs and the
rights to them.
Just like any other music artist he is
saddened by the rate at which piracy
is growing, commenting: ‘’The people
who are producing and selling pirated
albums are really killing us because
they do not know how much it costs to
produce an album, how much it costs Onkgopotse Leepile
to book the studio and pay the backup artists. Then they sell your album for as little as R30 for all the work that
you as the artist put in.’’
‘’I am very happy to have had such a strong support system from my family
especially from my mother. She has been with me on all the major shows
that I have done and it gives me strength going forward,’’ he adds.
Looking into the future, Onkgopotse sees himself owning his own recording
label and with his own music artists who will hopefully be from Ledig, as
he sees so much talent in the youth. The only obstacle to fulfilling this
ambition is the lack of equipment and the right motivation to push them
further. Growing up in a place like Ledig without any form of motivation
has not hindered this strong willed singer. It is because of the love and
passion that he has for singing that keeps him going. His performance with
other great legends proves his talent and that he still has a long, successful
road ahead of him.
In Celebration of National Women’s Month
B
aitsaanape ba merero ya klimata le
ponelopele ya maemo a bosa, ba tlhalosa
Afrika Borwa jaaka nngwe ya dinaga tse
nelwang ke pula e nnye, ka moo e nale tlhaelo ya
metsi. Go bonelwa pele gore tlhaelo e, e tlile go
oketsega modingwageng tse di tlang. Ke ka moo
masepala wa MKLM, motse wa rona le metse e
megwe e e mabapi, e setse e itemogetse tlhaelo
ya metsi mo nakong ee fetileng le jaanong.
Setlamo sa Wesizwe Platinum, ga ba
iponna ka matlho bothatha bo, ba ne
ba tsaa tshwetso ya go thusa morafe wa
Bakubung le Mahobieskraal ka metsi;
maikaelelo e le go thusa masepala ka
lenaneo la go tlisa dithuso kwa bathong.
Go tlhomilwe ditanka tsa metsi di le 32,
mme tsona di tladiwa gabedi ka letsatsi.
Mogodimo ga tirelo e Wesizwe e
neelanang ka yona e, setlamo se
ithaopile gape go thusa malapa a a
welwang ke leru la leso go sa solofelwa.
Boiteledipele bo ne ba tsaya tshwetso
ya gore malapa a a ka tlhagelwang
ke leru le, a thusiwe ka gangwe ka
metsi, gonne dipompo momotseng
di kgadile, mme ditanka tsona di le
potlana go lekana baagi le malapa
a a tletsweng ke matlhoko. Ka jalo,
kabo e ya thuso, e direlwa fela malapa
a a tlhagetsweng ke leso; eseng ba ba
nang le mediro ya manyalo, matlapa,
dikolobetso, le meletlo e mengwe. Seno
se dirwa ka gore meletlo e mengwe e,
e baakanyediwa ko pele; eseng jaaka
leso lele tlang ka tshoganyetso. Go
lebilwe gape le gore rra-kontraka yo o
tsamaisang metsi, a ka pallwa go dira
se a se thapetsweng ga a ka re o tshella
lelapa lengewe le lengwe le le nang le
moletlo.
By a Staff Reporter
T
he month of August is a special one for all South African women
as the country unites in its remembrance of those women who
bravely made a stand against discrimination 57 years ago this year.
Each year on 9 August, National Women's Day is declared as a public
holiday in South Africa, to commemorate the historic occasion when
the national march of women took place on this day in 1956 to petition
against legislation that required African persons to carry the special
identification documents, otherwise referred to as the "pass", and
which effectively curtailed the freedom of movement of black South
Africans during the apartheid era.
The pass laws were legislation that required African persons to carry a
document with them at all times to ‘prove’ that they were allowed to enter
a designated ‘white area’.
Over 20 000 women of all races and ages from
every corner of South Africa took a united stand against this appalling
discrimination and marched together towards the Union Buildings in
Pretoria. The Federation of South African Women (Fedsaw) were responsible
for organising the March, led by four
courageous and inspirational women;
Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Sophy
Williams and Lilian Ngoyi. The event
also involved the participation of
well-known activists as Albertina
Sisulu. The leaders delivered bundles
of petitions containing more than
100 000 signatures, to Prime Minister
JG Strijdom's office within the Union
Buildings. Women throughout the
country had put their names to these
petitions indicating their anger and
frustration at having their freedom Lillian Ngoyi
of movement restricted by the hated official passes.
The women stood
outside the offices silently for more than 30 minutes, many carrying their
children on their backs. Many remember the atmosphere of the Women’s March which concluded
with the singing of freedom songs such as Nkosi sikeleli Afrika, however,
the song that became the anthem of the march was "Wathint' abafazi,
Strijdom!"
wathint' abafazi,
wathint' imbokodo,
uza kufa!
[When] you
strike the women,
you strike a rock,
you will be crushed [you will die]!
The
march was a resounding success, and in recognition of the bravery and
determination of these women who risked arrest, detention and banning,
in order to try and effect social change, the date of 9 August was officially
declared National Women’s Day.
In the years that have passed since this
momentous act of defiance took place, the phrase (or its latest incarnation:
"you strike a woman, you strike a rock") has come to represent women's
continuing courage and strength in the face of continuing challenges in
South Africa.
Albertina Sisulu
5
Helen Joseph
Wesizwe Platinum, e dirile foromo ya
kopo ya metsi ya tshoganyetso, mme
fitlhelwa kwa kantorong ya morafe;
eseng kwa Wesizwe! Go dirwa jaana
gore ga baswelwa ba bega leso kwa
ofising, ba kgone le go kopa thuso ya
metsi gona foo! Ofisi ya morafe yone
e fetisisetsa foromo ee tladitsweng
ebile e tempilwe kwa Wesizwe, gore
rra-kontraka a fiwe address ya lapa lele
tlhokang thuso, a ba isetse metsi.
Ga go tlhagile leso, mme lelapa le batla
go dira kopo ya thuso ya metsi, itseng
gore go dirwa jaana bagaetsho:
• Itlhagise kwa ofising ya morafe ka death-certificate, ka nako eo lelapa le dirang kopo ya
lebitla le dithakadu/diphiri,
• Tlatsa foromo ya go kopa metsi,
mmogo le lekwalo le ledirang koo,
• Kopo e, e tshwanetse ya dirwa
bonnye malatsi a le mararo (3)
pele ga letsatsi la poloko/phitlo,
• Ka letsatsi lele beilweng la go
tlisa metsi, ba lesika ba tshwanetse
go netefatsa gore go nale ditanka
•
tse di lekaneng tse go tla tshelwang
metsi mo go tsona.
Baagi ba gakollwa go nna le ditanka tse di ka
tsayang metsi a a tla kgonang go fetisa modiro, a seke a tlhaela,
Kabo (delivery) ya metsi, e dirwa gangwe fela, mme rra-kontraka a ka se boeletse, le ga metsi a ka tlhaela.
A re thusaneng re dire mmogo bagaetsho.
Seno se tla thibela gore batho ba iphitlele ba
le mo bothateng ba metsi, le mororo thusa e
le teng. Godimo ga tsotlhe, a re thuseng go
thibela bosenyi mo motseng wa rona! Ditanka
le dipompo tsa metsi ke tsa rona botlhe, ka moo
re seke ra ikgatholosa ga disenyi di re utswetsa!
RE: Requ
uest for water
w
We, the
e family of
o (the de
eceased) __________
________________________________
_________,
request water
w
for the
t
funeral which willl be held on
o the _________________________
_________.
Water will
w be nee
eded on the___________________
_____________ (date) at _______
_________
(time).Contact details____________________________
_______.
Physical address
House No: ________________
Section: __________________
Ward: _____________________
Kindly no
ote the following;
W
Water
will be delivered
d once
Th
he request should be
e submitted
d 3 days in advance
A
Avail
water containerrs on the sa
aid date which
w
will sustain the family unttil the last
day of the fu
uneral.
____________________
____________________________
__
Requestors’ signature
Nam
me
______________________
__________________________
___
Tradition
nal office’s rep signattureName
_____________________
Wesizwe
e’s rep signature
________________________
_____
Name
_______
___________________
e
Date
___________________
_______
e
Date
_________________
________
Date
Wesizwe Pla
atinum Limited
d. Reg No: 2003
3/020161/06Dire
ectors: DNM Mo
okhobo (Chairm
man)*, D Chen (D
Deputy Chairma
an)*#,
J Gao (Chief Executive Officcer)#, W Ma (Fiinancial Director)#, WM Ekste
een*, J Li*#, CW
WN Molope*, L
LV Ngculu*, L Teng*#,
T
BJ
M
Vasta Mhlongo ( Compa
any Secretary)
van der Merwe*
*Non Executiive# Chinese
AUGUST 2013
6
The Ledig community gets the opportunity to grow small businesses
By Zanele Sithole
S
outh African
Small
Enterprises
Communication (SASEC) is a company from
Johannesburg that deals with small enterprise
development and community upliftment
through government grants, private sector
grants. It has partnered with the National African
Federated Chamber Of Commerce (NAFCOC)
which also represents a number of Black-owned
small businesses, together with SETA and the
DTI, both prominent organisations relevant
to business. This is most beneficial to aspiring
business owners, existing business owners,
businesses looking to upskill their employees
and for businesses looking to branch out into
new markets.
The community recently came out in large
numbers to hear for themselves how they
could benefit from the organization. Attendees
included taxi owners, local NGOs, church
officials, school SGBs and youth in music and art.
Commenting on the event, Mr Nkosi, a SASEC
agent, said: ‘’In the Ledig community there are
a lot of businesses which are run by one person.
As a result, it does not make sense to fund people
who are on a one service provider ship. Come
together and form cooperatives providing that
AUGUST 2013
Bakubung Primary newsletter to improve communication between parents and school
By a Staff Reporter
T
particular service then it will be easier for you to
get funding. This way our government will cut
down on taking billions of rands and sending it
to foreign countries as we have seen in the past.’’
The range of services on offer from SASEC
includes business management, business
accounting, government tenders and grants,
logistics, branding, marketing, advertising and
training and mentoring.
The organization was discovered by Mrs
Mbokazi, a local Ledig community member who
whilst visiting Johannesburg, heard of SASEC
and its business seminars. She realized that
something of this kind was needed back home,
as she is also a business woman herself. She said
at the time: “This is a great opportunity for us,
lets grab it with both hands’’.
Sphiwe Thabethe, a youth from Ledig, is very
happy with what SASEC is offering as he has lost
a lot of money as a result of fly-by-night people
claiming to be agents from SEDA especially. He
said: ‘I have my own business providing music
and traditional dancing, I have tried a lot of times
to get it registered but I have failed dismally. I
have even come to the point of giving up as I am
losing a lot of money. There are many capable
he Bakubung Primary newsletter
is a quarterly newsletter that was
established as a means of improving
communication
between
all
stakeholders in the village and the
school including parents, SGBs,
teachers and the community. It also
aims to encourage young children
to work hard in their studies and
be the best that they can be. The
top achievers will be profiled and
featured in the newsletter.
Sphiwe Thabethe
The newsletter project was
initiated and is managed by Mr Ike
Mokopane, a pastor who is also a
part of the SGB team at the school
as a Chairperson. He is also the
coordinator of the QLTC branch in
Ike Mokopane of Bakubung Newsletter
Ledig Complex, making sure that
the community including all eight schools, business owners, taxi owners
and the children themselves understand and take responsibility for every
pass them by. I am very happy and I do welcome
this opportunity’’.
Medals and Trophies
L
edig youth concluded their celebrations for
National Youth Month with a bang when they
participated in a two-day sports tournament
that comprised of netball, football and volleyball.
The event was sponsored by Wesizwe Platinum
Limited.
The games began on 29 June with netball and
volleyball quarter finals, semi finals and finals all
taking place at the Tswaidi High School sports
ground in Khalanyoni section in Ledig. The
games moved on to 30 June where the semi
finals and finals of the football took place at
the Western Chiefs sports ground at Letlhabile
section in Ledig. The event attracted a number
of teams including for the volleball tournament,
Hunters Volleyball and Spikers Volleyball. The
netball tournament attracted the participation
of local teams including Mighty Netballers,
Korea Netball, Mighty Girls and Angel Stars.
Football teams were represented by Bakgatleng
FC, Flying Birds, Kagiso United, PSG FC, Peace
Brothers, Mighty Footballers, Mountain View
and Young Swallows.
The tournament’s winners were all defending
champions from last year’s tournament. Winners
included Kagiso Angels in the netball, Hunters
Football Winners
Ms Mpangeva, the Principal of Bakubng Primary School Principal is very
happy with the project, commenting: “The rest of the school staff have also
welcomed the project with open hands. It is a good project that we will use
as a yardstick to measure our performance and to inform parents about our
activities at school.’’
Bakubung Primary school is based in Ledig with a total of 625 learners
and 20 educators, including a Unisa practical student, a child minder
and the principal. The school is also searching for two new teachers who
are required to join the teaching faculty at the school, particularly male
teachers. Bakubung Primary School is also the academic institution in the
village to introduce rugby as a sport in all schools.
By a Staff Reporter
discuss positive issues
amongst ourselves,
issues that will lead
us to be better people
in the future.’’ He
used the opportunity
to
urge
fellow
community members
to use whatever
energy they have for
positive things, to
respect their bodies
and never to be
ashamed of wishing
for a good life.
confidently predicted that the championship
cup will still be staying with his team next year.
‘Thabo Kuate, of the Young Swallows team,
echoed these sentiments, saying: “I am happy
we won again, even though we were scared at
first because we are the defending champions
from last year. But the other team showed their
weak points too early in the game, and as a
result, we used that to our advantage.’’
Mountain View coach, Sello Kgampe, said: ‘’I am
pleased with the performance that my team
showed today, and I am confident that next year
we will take the cup, as now I know what I need
to polish it for success.’’
Team managers expressed their thanks to the
tournament sponsors because they will now be
able to buy more equipment needed by their
teams to ensure that they continue to grow and
they will work even harder next year.
Netball Winners
A
lmost every single day a new form of an
illegal drug is invented by young drug users
and dealers, and this has led to an increase
in experimental drug use, often leading to
addiction. The Divine Hope Ministries Church in
Ledig took to the streets to promote awareness
on the dangers of using these illegal substances.
The event was attended by Ledig youth, parents,
Divine Hope Ministries Church members and
the community’s very own Peter Moruakgomo,
a well-known actor from the popular television
show Generations. He was accompanied by
Moeketsi Phiri, a talent scout and his partner
in the Peter Moruakgomo Foundation and
Agisanang Society 1996. The event was blessed
to have a Gospel poet from Johannesburg by
the name of Excellent Cele, a reformed drug
user. The event was directed by Mr Mdladla.
The event started with a walk around the
village with youth carrying banners saying no
substance abuse, alcohol, drugs, crime and
teenage pregnancies.
Volleyball Winners
The contents of the newsletter differ with each quarterly publication,
featuring all the activities undertaken by the school during the previous
months. A very interesting part of the newsletter is the QLTC (Quality
Learning and Teaching Campaign) information, a campaign that was
launched in Parliament in 2008 as a form of making education first priority
in both teachers’ and parents’ lives.
Local church combats substance abuse together with youth
By Zanele Sithole
Young Swallows manager, Mr
Elliot Maine, said: ‘’I knew my
team was going to win because
I am that confident in them. We
have proven again that we are the best and no
other club in Ledig can stand against us.’’ These
were the same confident views expressed by
the team’s coach, Mr Shimane Mogoeng, who
expressed his happiness at the result and said
how proud his team had made him. He also
thing that concerns education. At the moment, the project is being run at
Mr Mokopane’s home as they are still seeking financial assistance.
people in this community and I urge them to
not let this opportunity to grow their businesses
Tournament boosts Ledig sports team spirits again
Volleyball team in volleyball and
the Young Swallows in football.
The netball and volleyball
teams each walked away with
a total of R5000 including
medals and a trophy, while the
Young Swallows walked away
with a massive R7000, also
with a cup and medals. Prizes
were sponsored by Wesizwe
Platinum.
7
Young Swallows Club
Thapelo, who is a reformed gangster and
substance abuser, said: ‘’As youth, we think
that we are informed and often we are not
and, as a result, we end up putting ourselves
in undesirable situations. We need to learn to
Youth
needs
to
understand that it is
not necessary to have
a bad experience in
order to have a good
testimony. It is important to learn not only from
their own mistakes but also from other people’s
mistakes. They need to know that everyone has
to make a personal choice and take a decision
on the way they live their lives. And for the
ones that have made better choices in life, they
should not stay away from their bad friends
but rather bring them closer so they have the
opportunity to maybe learn from them, said
Peter Moruakgomo.
Akanyang Moremi, a community member, said:
‘’I was raised by parents who used to drink a lot,
but I turned out differently. I told myself that I
will not be like them, that I will make something
better of myself. So for people to use drugs and
say they come from a poor environment, that is
not an excuse in life. It’s up to us as people to
stand up for ourselves and our future.’’
Over the years, many illegal drugs have been
invented and amongst them the one taking
centre stage is Nyaope which originates from
Johannesburg but has since moved fast across
the country, emerging in places like Ledig. Ratex,
which is a type of rat poison, together with ARV
treatment pills, are just some of the contents of
this new drug. The side effects of the drug include
abdominal pain similar to that experienced by
stomach ulcers. Physical symptoms of Nyaope
include severe withdrawals, bacterial infections
of the blood vessels and heart valves, and an
overdose of this drug can ultimately result in
lead to coma or even death.
AUGUST 2013
8
Maseve Mine supports the outreach programme for Moses Kotane Hospital
By Mr Mlibo Mgudlwa, Vice President, Platinum Group Metals
M
aseve Mine, under Platinum Group Metals
management, has donated two vehicles to
the Moses Kotane Hospital. The two vehicles, a
Toyota Double Cab and a ten seater Quantum Bus
were handed over to the hospital management
on Tuesday 2nd July 2013.
Maseve Mine is owned 74% by Platinum Group
Metals (PTM) and 26% by Wesizwe Platinum, of
which Jinchuan is a majority shareholder. Mlibo
Mgudlwa, the Vice President of Platinum Group
Metals (RSA) said:, “This is in keeping with our
SLP commitments and company’s licence to
operate the mine. We also take pride in getting
involved in Social Issues and upliftment of the
communities where we operate. To us, it is not
only about complying with the Mining Act but is
a genuine commitment to uplift and empower
the communities. In this case, we identified
health as one of the areas that need urgent
attention, hence the donation.”
Partnership between Government and the
Private sector proves to be successful in
ensuring that national priority issues and service
delivery are addressed as a matter of urgency.
The community members of different villages
will now have access to the required health
programmes available to the rest of the country.
The Hospital Management was very pleased
when they received the cars. Dr Mangwane who
represented the hospital, said:, ”The Medical
Staff who will be doing Outreach Programme
are mainly under Allied discipline. These are
Physiotherapists, Dieticiansetics, Occupational
Therapists, Speech and Hearing Therapists, and
Social Workers. In Moses Kotane, there are 49
Clinics and 60 Communities that will be covered
by this programme. To commence with the
programme, the team will start with four (4)
Community Health Centres which are based at
Mogwase and cover tTwelve (12) Clinics. There
will be scheduled visits to these Clinics.”
Dr. Mangwane and the Moses Kotane Hospital staff receive the keys to the
vehicles from Mr Mgudlwa, The Vice President of Platinum Group Metals
The Allied Health Team, as mentioned above,
had limited resources to embark on the outreach
programmes for the communities. This meant
that there was failure in bringing health care
services closer to the people. The community
will no longer have to travel from far places to
access essential services, as theses will now be
brought to their door step and thus improve
service delivery.
Q & A with Basetsana Ramaboa, Executive: Human Resources, Wesizwe Platinum
W
hat are the
b i g g e s t
challenges for
Wesizwe in terms
of HR that will need
to be addressed for
the remainder of this
year?
The first priority is
to get the HR team to
work together and to
fully understand the
Basetsana Ramaboa
HR plan and objectives
for the year. The other challenge is putting the
necessary HR processes, procedures and policies
in place that support the business during this
critical pre-production phase. Another priority
is to build strong working relationships with all
colleagues and stakeholders in the business.
This is particularly important to the success of
Wesizwe going forward as we are all different
people from different worlds and different
backgrounds, and we have to be come together
and decide upon the internal culture we would
like to drive within Wesizwe and to agree on
how we wish to be perceived as a company out
there in the marketplace.
On a personal level, I aspire to ensure that
employees are proud to work for Wesizwe and
are proud to represent the company positively
and proactive every day, knowing that we are
committed to building a best company to work
for. We all have to work together to build this
fledgling company from a zero base into what
could be in 10 years time, a company regarded
as the best platinum company in the country to
work for. This is the type of vision I have for the
company and the role of HR going forward.
What are the key HR priorities you are going
to be focusing on for the next six months?
The key priorities will focus on human
resource development. Besides the fact that it
is a legislative requirement, we have specific HR
targets we need to meet as a company. My role
is to ensure we address the practicalities and the
affordability of human resource development
within the company, whilst at the same time
ensuring the value-add of the business. In this
regard, key priority areas will include ABET, core
business skills training, internships, learnerships,
mentoring, and providing practical support
primarily for our interns, our apprentices and our
bursars. When I look at the needs of our bursars
specifically, the best way to make them feel at
home and part of Wesizwe, is to ensure regular
and quality interaction with them on a regular
basis. Another key priority area will be on
building constructive working relationships with
our strategic partners, such as our contractors
Aveng and TWP. Such working relationships
with those partners over the next six months
will ensure that they deliver seamlessly in the
HR space.
What do you have planned over the next six
months in terms of employee engagement
and building a positive internal culture.
We already have the Achievement Awards,
but a key priority is to ensure that we have the
essential HR policies and procedures in place and
that we have addressed key gaps that have been
identified. By doing so, when we start to form
a uniquely Wesizwe culture and way of doing
things, it will be based on a solid foundation.
So, for the next six months, I will be working
on finalising all those policies and procedures.
After that, we will focus attention on the
behaviours that contribute towards achieving a
specific culture in the company. This is a process
we have already started at Exco level. We had
our first Executive team engagement session on
29 May held offsite to talk about how we should
work together going forward, how we see our
roles and how we see Wesizwe progressing in
the future. As a result of this interaction, there
are already good things that have been agreed
upon such as the introduction of quarterly
business feedback meetings to the company,
both at head office and at regional office. The
purpose of such feedback meetings will be to
inform employees of the considerable amount
of positive change that is happening in the
company at an operational and strategic level.
It is important that every employee understands
how the company is changing for the better.
There will undoubtedly be practical HR issues
that we will need to tackle on a daily basis, but
this will be done as part of this new engagement
approach. I believe that communication is
going to help us considerably. We need to
start communicating regularly with employees,
so that they know what is happening in the
company and, as a result, they are able to respond
appropriately. The more they know, the more
they can contribute to, and help to safeguard
the Wesizwe brand in the marketplace. This kind
of approach helps to build brand pride.
Are you going to be involved in community
engagement from an HR perspective?
To a small extent only. For example, there
is a training and career expo planned for
Rustenburg in August that as a company we
would be interested to participate in. We would
use this type of event as a platform to promote
our bursaries and learnership programmes.
What types of interventions do you have
planned that will help to build this "Best
Company to Work For" culture at Wesizwe?
One of the challenges I encountered when I
first joined Wesizwe was that employees did not
have anyone they felt they could talk to when
there were issues to be dealt with. I initially
started to help by finding solutions to those
issues, ensuring familiarisation with procedures
and that employees fully understood the
content of their letters of appointment and
contracts. My priorities for the remainder of this
year will be on getting the basics right in terms
of HR support, putting the right HR foundation
in place and ensuring the HR value chain, from
resourcing to long-term incentive planning and
retirement fund modelling, is in place. These
are the things that will help us as a company to
attract the best people and then to retain them.
We need to make sure that the career paths are
clearly defined within the company. We also
need to look at what the company needs to do to
support employees to do the best job they can
do, this could involve training and development,
mentoring, etc. We are also trying to automate
HR systems, including basic process mapping
this year.
On a personal level, what is your vision for HR
in Wesizwe?
One advantage that Wesizwe has at the
moment is that it is a 'greenfield' site in terms
of HR. Everything has to be created and this
represents a very exciting opportunity. My
predecessors put in place a foundation upon
which to build, but there is a lot of space for me
to now create an HR model for the company
going forward that represents value add and
supports the business. We are building this
company together, from the CEO and the Exco,
right through the company, and from an HR
perspective, that is a very exciting proposition.
HR plays a key strategic support role to the
business. At the end of the day, you need people
to build a mine and to build a company and it is
important to remember that a company is only
as strong as its people.