For the past five years, tyre specialist contractor Otraco has generously given R200 000 a year to the Mogalakwena incubator’s training programmes, and in July this year, finalised the formal cheque handover for 2018.
In a partnership with Anglo American Platinum, the company has supported the vision of training Mapela’s youth and adults at the Mogalakwena Complex, a Multi-Purpose Hub. The training centre has focused on creating environmental awareness and training and development in permaculture – agricultural ecosystems which are sustainable and self-sufficient.
Anglo American Platinum recognises the need for practical, on the job and theoretical training, and believes that there is a huge opportunity for small business creation through cooperatives. A huge part of Mogalakwena Incubator is the establishing, mentoring, monitoring and training of community owned cooperative farms. The Incubator secures funding on behalf of the Cooperative after which the Incubator controls and manages the grants and provides monthly financial management assistance. Furthermore, the Incubator secures market access through a partnership with Fresh to Go, the largest vegetable supplier to Woolworths. Through this, the incubator uplifts emerging black African farmers to become productive commercial producers in collaboration with industry players and government.
The Mogalakwena Incubator therefore presents a sustainable solution to the land reform and community agriculture challenges that are experienced around some of Anglo American Platinum’s operations. Anglo American Platinum is proud to have the support of contracting partners such as Otraco to continue the training and development of the communities around our operations, and provide access to basic services and support that can enable them to apply for jobs, skills development programmes and broader opportunities. We want to better engage with our local communities and bring our services closer to them, as well as to provide the opportunity to communicate with us.
Otraco country manager André Bode said: “We are proud to be associated with Mogalakwena Complex and the surrounding communities. These programmes help and encourage the youth, developing their social competencies and making it easier for them to succeed at school and work”.
Bode added: “Our involvement gives us the opportunity to help communities towards a sustainable future. We should not underestimate how much these programmes boost people’s mental health. They also encourage entrepreneurship by teaching people how to produce high-yield crops for their own use and a surplus to sell.”
Mogalakwena Complex senior general manager Richard Cox said: “We are encouraged by the support our communities receive from contracting partners like Otraco. We have truly seen the impact of this project in the lives of community members around our operations, and we are excited to see what can be achieved as this gains impetus, particularly with the boosts received from partners such as Otraco.”
Anglo American Platinum’s supplier and development programme contributes to local economic development and addresses other social challenges, such as unemployment, crime and poverty experienced by communities around our operations. Our endeavour is to:
- give local Small, Medium & Micro Enterprise businesses (SMMEs) an opportunity to participate in our procurement activities;
- operate a successful Supplier Development Programme (produce sustainable local SMMEs);
- create opportunities for joint ventures, consortiums, sub-contracting and partnerships for local SMMEs;
- collaborate with other enabling organisations and partners (e.g. Anglo American Zimele, Department of Mineral Resources and Department of Trade and Industry) to create platforms for local and black owned SMMEs;
- create job opportunities through procurement, and;
- support local SMMEs to become sustainable beyond our mining operations.
About Multi-Purpose Hubs
Each MPH will serve as a centre from which a range of services and products can reach the communities. The aim is for communities to access these services and engage in available programmes and opportunities for their own empowerment. The MPHs will:
- Share information about Anglo American Platinum that is relevant to the community; for example, emergency response plans.
- Provide a single location for the community to access opportunities within AAP on:
- Enterprise and supplier development
- Zimele funding
- Recruitment
- Bursaries
- Community Economic Development / Corporate Social Investment and sponsorships
- Provide a space for communities to meet, including:
- Business rooms for small businesses
- Community meetings / Alchemy meetings
