On 16 May, the final cohort of 11 entrepreneurs graduated from Matla mine’s Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) Centre, bringing the total to 53 entrepreneurs who have graduated from the programme in three years, in partnership with Raizcorp.
It was a proud day for Matla mine, who established the ESD Centre as part of its 2015 to 2020 Social and Labour Plan enabling local entrepreneurs to compete in the local economy. Some of the graduates have gone on to secure contracts with Matla mine.
How did it all start?
In 2019 Matla partnered with Raizcorp, a business incubator and Enterprise Development Service Provider, to operate the centre and train recipients in business skills development, operational business support, business-specific mentoring, coaching, and accessing funding. The programme then enrolled local businesses from diverse industries such as medical emergency response, catering, industrial maintenance, and fitness training.
The final 11 entrepreneurs finished their respective programmes in August 2022 and graduated at the ESD Centre in Kriel on 16 May 2023. Matla’s management team, led by Mangaliso Sethethi (Business Unit Manager), Dr Lusapho Njenge (Exxaro ESD Programme Manager), Zola Kgaka (Exxaro Senior Specialist for Community Development), Thabang Mashiane (Raizcorp Kriel ESD Centre Manager), along with Raizcorp management and the
executive members of the Matla Community Engagement Forum all attended the graduation ceremony.
Dr Lusapho Njenge, who delivered the keynote address, shared his lessons as a former entrepreneur, saying, “To succeed as an entrepreneur you should learn all you can and constantly improve your knowledge of the market since this is an ever-changing industry”.
ESD final cohort graduates,
Exxaro and Raizcorp management
EXXARO CELEBRATES PHASE 3 HANDOVER AT BONGINHLANHLA PRIMARY
Exxaro celebrated Eskom’s Phase 3 handover of Bonginhlanhla Primary School’s infrastructure development project in Thubelihle, alongside Seriti, Eskom and the Department of Education.
The successful collaboration has completed three phases since 2019. Exxaro completed Phase 2 in 2020, which included the completion of one classroom block, computer centre, science laboratory, library, services, a portion of external works, and furniture. Exxaro committed another R10m to construct a Grade R Centre with a kitchen, office, ablution facility, and a play area. Exxaro will begin Phase 4 in quarter three of 2023.
“This project proved that collaboration and partnership are possible and have a greater impact”. Tebogo Leepile, Manager: Community Development at Exxaro.
What is the impact on the school and community?
Bonginhlanhla is the only primary school and one of two schools in Thubelihle. It currently hosts around 1 200 learners from the local communities and surrounding farms, and close to 60 staff, including educators. The improved infrastructure will create a dignified learning
environment by addressing overcrowding, while also accommodating more learners. Phase 3 created 38 short-term employment opportunities, with six opportunities given to local sub-contractors.
“Our Social Impact (“SI”) Strategy is a proactive response to step-up and shift forward our community engagement and development efforts aligned to our purpose, “powering better lives in Africa and beyond” and provide an operating context that is conducive for achieving our growth ambitions. It is embedded in the strategic objectives of our Sustainable Growth and Impact Strategy and
reinforces our aspiration of creating “a better place for tomorrow than where we are today”, and serves as our ambition for the country, our society and especially our communities where our operations are located. As such, education investment and development is one of the three impact areas of our SI strategy which we are focusing on,” Leepile noted.
Exxaro hopes the new facilities will continue to inspire a culture of learning and improve learner morale towards education as a tool to “powering possibility”.
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