3.3. Mining Charter Declaration, Commitments and Scorecard

During the 2021–2022 financial year, the MQA implemented various projects and initiatives in support of the broad-based socio-economic empowerment charter known as the Mining Charter.

The Mining Charter sets out the following objectives to:

a) promote equitable access to the nation’s mineral resources to all the people of South

Africa; b) substantially and meaningfully expand opportunities for historically disadvantaged

South Africans (HDSAs) to enter the mining and minerals industry and to benefit from exploration of the nation’s mineral resources; c) utilise and expand the existing skills base for the empowerment of HDSAs and to serve the community; d) promote employment and advance the social and economic welfare of mine communities and major labour sending areas; e) promote beneficiation of South Africa’s mineral commodities; and f) promote sustainable development and growth of the mining industry.

In addition, the Mining Charter has the following elements:

a) ownership; b) procurement and enterprise development; c) beneficiation; d) employment equity; e) human resource development; f) mine community development; g) housing and living conditions; h) sustainable development and growth of the mining industry; and i) reporting (monitoring and evaluation).

The MQA’s support for the Mining Charter objectives and elements during the reporting period included:

BENEFICIATION SUPPORT

The MQA continued to support the training of learners in the diamond processing and jewellery manufacturing disciplines and funded a total of 1 403 learners entering and 370 learners completing programmes in these disciplines in the year under review. A total of 687 learners who entered are learners with disability. A total of 153 learners who completed are learners with disability. Since 2010, a total of 8 464 learners have been trained.

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

The MQA provided 14 virtual capacity building workshops to provide capacity to Skills Development Facilitators (SDFs), 23 workshops were conducted to support Skills Development Committee (SDC) members. Participants to these workshops are made up of past and current SDFs from within the sector as well as members from organised labour groups.

The participants are kept informed of the WSPATR process, including MQA and government requirements to encourage participation in the process. The workshops also create awareness around human resource best practices, skills development and the need for a harmonious relationship between employers and labour. This was achieved through partnership with the support of the MQA regional offices and the overwhelming support from the sector.

MINE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

The MQA supported various mining communities and labour sending areas, focusing mainly on ex-miners, retrenched and soon to be retrenched workers, with skills development initiatives. These programmes were not restricted to mining skills but also included training in portable skills such as plant /poultry /livestock production, SME OperatorShelf Filler, new venture creation, mixed farming systems, SMME development, clothing manufacturing, crop farming, surface mining, domestic installation, solar water heating, electrical, carpentry, and painting. A total of R87 million was disbursed for mine community support. In addition, 283 community learners were supported with small scale mining skills. Due to covid-19 restrictions there were no career

guidance activities conducted in rural mining communities to highlight career opportunities in the mining and minerals sector, but rather career guidance material was distributed to a total of 128 schools and institutions.

HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED SOUTH AFRICA (HDSA) SUPPORT

The MQA continued supporting 20 HDSA lecturers at universities. A total of 130 HDSAs were supported and completed their management development programmes. The MQA also funded 1 130 undergraduate bursaries in disciplines related to the mining and minerals sector. These bursaries are targeted at previously disadvantaged learners in rural communities. The MQA increased its Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) level 1 to 4 spend to 100% of service providers and vendors providing services to the SETA.

A number of other projects and initiatives in the MQA Strategic Plan supported the Mining Charter. These included programmes and projects in artisan development, core learnerships, skills development, maths and science, work experience, internships, adult education and training (AET), recognition of prior learning (RPL), occupational health and safety (OHS) and other health and safety programmes (Trackless Mobile Machine Operations and Underground Hardrock V5). These initiatives support objectives and elements such as employment equity and human resource development.

MQA Staff at an event to celebrate a clean audit outcome