The project is situated in a rural part of the Tsantsabane Local Municipality and focuses on a community who, as part of the South African government’s land reform process, were relocated to Skeifontein. Most of the young economically active population, particularly men, migrate in search of employment opportunities, leaving young children and the elderly behind. A group of eight women started crop farming on land made available to them by the community property association. Their aim was to grow vegetables to provide food to families but due to a lack of support, it was done on a subsistence basis and no income was derived from their endeavours.
Kolomela Mine, as part of its social and labour plan, sought to assist these women by providing them with additional support to progress the project beyond the subsistence level. It was jointly decided to use hydroponic farming methods to boost production and increase the likelihood of the project’s success.
The women have been able to supply local retailers with some of their fresh produce. In 2010 the Department of Agriculture came on board as a key partner. The project won two very prestigious awards: Best Horticulture project in the Northern Cape and Best Water Usage Project in the Siyanda District Municipality.
Implementation of the project was completed at the end of 2010. This means less involvement on the part of Kolomela Mine and the municipality and more independence on the part of the beneficiaries. The Department of Agriculture will assign a representative to mentor the beneficiaries and will offer future support through their various programmes.
Kumba has long known that its social and community development programme is a core pillar ofits strategy. The sanction of local people, businesses and government is extremely important to the company.
Kumba’s Social and Community Development (SCD) Department is responsible for implementing the community development aspects of the mines’ social and labour plans. The SCD function extends beyond the compilation and execution of social and labour plans. Kumba chooses to regard its SCD programme, whether SLP or not, as part of the same commitment to South Africa, irrespective of whether the budget is for SLP or not.
Kumba is committed to supporting development programmes and projects that are based on good research and that are suitable and necessary for the people and areas for which they are intended. Support is provided for education, skills development, enterprise development, infrastructure and health and welfare.
Kumba has identified several “priority issues” for its social and community development programmes, one of which is food security. Kumba is involved in the establishment of interventions that specifically address issues of food security in rural communities.
General CSR facts and figures:
SPEND
Kumba’s combined SCD spend for 2010 was R134 million. This figure includes monies spent on infrastructure projects.
PROJECTS
Kumba supports a range of developmental interventions – local infrastructure, facilitating the establishment of small and medium enterprises, improving education and health services, increasing community safety and alleviating poverty. Kumba’s flagship projects are shown below.
CATEGORY
PROJECT
Infrastructure
Paving and tiling of Regorogile Ext 5 (Thabazimbi)
Upgrade Khuting Stormwater (Kolomela)
Construction of Stasie Street (Kolomela)
Upgrade of bus and taxi terminus (Kolomela)
Community Development
Alternative Energy: Zinc Air Fuel Cells Pilot Project Sishen
Organic Honey Bee Project at Dibeng (Sishen)
Schools Sport Development Programme (Kolomela)
Business Simulation Hub (Sishen)
Education and Training
Mabogopedie Science Laboratory (Thabazimbi)
Marakele Environmental Education Centre (Thabazimbi)
Simba Kleuterliefies Early Childhood Development Centre (Sishen)
EQUIP: Sishen intermediate School (Sishen)
Health & Welfare
Mobile Health Clinics in Kathu (Sishen)
Ulysses Gogi Modise Wellness Clinic (Sishen)
Dingleton Soup Kitchen (Sishen)
Thabazimbi Wellness Clinic (Thabazimbi)
LOOKING AHEAD 2011 – 2016
Kumba’s focus for the next five years is summarised as follows:
Enterprise development
Implementation of Zimele Hubin Postmasburg
Implementation of the Business Place franchise in Thabazimbi
Education
Alignment with national education priorities
Key focus on Early Childhood Development (ECD), Grade R and primary schools, including ECD and Grade R teacher development programmes
Addressing infrastructure requirements to make institutions of quality early learning available to all children in the communities where Kumba operates, including labour-sending areas
Skills development
Capacity building programmes for school leavers who cannot afford tertiary education
Assess current programmes offered in areas where the mines operate to determine where improvements are required
Health and welfare
Investing in health infrastructure (clinics, mobile clinics and hospitals) to improve access to quality healthcare
Investigate possible investment in healthcare practitioner training to assist with capacity constraints
Primary infrastructure
Investing in primary infrastructure projects to create a conducive environment for successful LED and SED project implementation
Healthcare
Case study
The Ulysses Gogi Modise (UGM) Wellness Clinic in Kathu continues to provide a vital service to the people of the Gamagara Local Municipality. The clinic provides testing and counselling services, and ARVs. The new private community clinic in Thabazimbi is ready for occupation – Kumba financed the conversion of the building into a clinic and will fund the running of the clinic for the foreseeable future. The clinic will be managed by the same company which runs the UGM clinic in Kathu.
Case study 1:
MANYEDING CULTIVATION PROJECT
The Manyeding cultivation project is a large-scale project situated to the east of Kuruman. Initially conceived as a small-scale food garden project, it now involves some 159 households who live on state-owned land and work collectively. Kumba is working in partnership with national and local government, the latter keen to use this project as a role model for the roll out of similar projects nationwide. The first harvest took place during the year.
In September 2009, Kumba, government and the Manyeding community identified the need to create a sustainable agricultural business in the community, leading to employment, skills development and economic empowerment. The community decided that the initiative would consist of two key phases.
Firstly to establish vegetable production trials in at least five hectares of open field irrigation. In order to achieve this, the following was accomplished:
•
Installation of infrastructure
•
Purchasing of equipment
•
Soil preparation and planting
•
Hiring of labour
Secondly, the trial cultivation results, provide valid and reliable intelligence to serve as basis for the commercialisation of the endeavour which will require an independent legal entity based on strict commercial business principles. Discussions with potential funding partners indicated that the project must be housed in a private company to enable funders and operating partners to take up equity in the project if so required. The Manyeding community will own a majority share in the entity. The land will be used to cultivate a range of vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs and spices.
Case Study 2
KROMDRAAI VEGETABLE GARDEN PROJECT
This project was started in 2007 with assistance from the Limpopo Province Department of Health and Social Development. Kumba began supporting the project in 2009 by contributing funds for the purchase of farming equipment and for upgrading a storage facility. The farm produces pumpkins, butternuts and sweet potatoes and has some cattle, sheep and goats which are sold at various auctions to supplement income. Currently Kumba is looking at implementing a strategic plan to assist the project in becoming self-sustaining, moving from a subsistence initiative to a small commercial venture.
