We believe that our role as a global business is to make a positive contribution to society. As part of the Thriving Communities pillar of our Sustainable Mining Plan, we place emphasis on ensuring the communities where we operate can thrive and prosper well beyond the life of the mine.
Zimele was established 35 years ago to support local businesses in South Africa and to give them opportunities through enterprise, supplier and youth development, and to build businesses that are sustainable. Zimele means “stand on your own” in Nguni languages, and since aligning with Anglo American’s Sustainable Mining Plan and the local social labour plans in South Africa to provide assistance and support, that is what the Zimele programme strives to do every day in every community they are in – focusing on fostering sustainable livelihoods in their host communities and strengthening relationships to create synergies within our business and with broader mining and other industry partners. As of last year, Zimele managed to create more than 20,000 jobs for the host communities.
Larisha Naidoo, Head of Zimele, said: “Through the Zimele development programmes, we hope to support business owners with the right tools, skills and networks to be able to grow themselves, their employees and their business.”
Enterprise Development programme – building and growing small businesses within our communities
Together with multiple development partners and sponsored by our businesses (Kumba, Anglo American Platinum, De Beers Group), Zimele has rolled out hubs within various communities. These hubs have training spaces, mentorship and coaching areas, computers, and Wi-Fi access; and are staffed by business development teams to give aspiring entrepreneurs access and opportunities to learn and network with others in the community.
The hubs focus on supporting Small, Micro, and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) and youth in areas including business acumen, strategic thinking, market orientation, leadership, project management and financial planning. Entrepreneurs are equipped with tools and partners that go beyond our businesses, to help them take their business to the next level.
NTT Empire, an enterprise that produces biogas and biofertilisers from waste, is one of Zimele’s beneficiaries. When the company first started, director of NTT Empire, Neo Theo Lelaka used to give away his biofertilisers because he did not see the value in his product. However, Zimele saw the potential of the biofertiliser and stepped in to provide him with the skills and support to help him scale his business – Zimele’s business advisor taught him how to price and market his product, and eventually helped him stand on his own to carve out a livelihood from this business.
Supplier Development programme – building our suppliers’ skills for long term partnership success
This programme helps SMMEs who want to improve, grow or diversify their business and create jobs by responding to the procurement needs of large local buyers. Implemented in partnership with a specialist procurement training firm, this programme deals with all elements of the tender process, as well as negotiations and contracting. Participants are shown actual examples of tenders and learn how best to compile a response. The training also includes instruction on joint ventures, subcontracting, and how to price effectively.
Another beneficiary of this programme is Selematsela, an agriculture enterprise growing vegetables from seedlings. Zimele provided him training to secure procurement opportunities, and profits from these projects helped him to invest in his business, assisting its growth.
Youth development programme – helping young people identify opportunities towards becoming employable
6 in 10 youths in South Africa are unemployed. To provide real employability and a meaningful future for the youths, Zimele has partnered with the government, South African corporates, and the civil society to provide training and equip them with relevant skills for employment opportunities.
The youth development programme focuses on “future facing” industries like the hospitality and tourism sector, training youths between 18-35 years with relevant skills and supporting them with on-the-job training. In three years, Zimele managed to reach more than 3,000 youths and have placed them in a variety of roles such as assistant chefs, table attendants, as well as in housekeeping roles – some have even been given an opportunity to work on one of the world’s premier ultra-luxury cruise liner, Silversea Cruises. The collaboration with Silversea will provide comprehensive training specific to the cruise liner, to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to work onboard its luxury cruise ships.
Marin Drlje, Talent Acquisition Manager of Silversea Cruises, said, “We are pleased with this collaboration to offer employment opportunities to unemployed youth in South Africa. As a business, we recognise our responsibility to make a positive impact on the countries in which we operate. We believe that by offering training and employment opportunities, we can help young people build a brighter future for themselves and their families.”
With trainings, mentorships, access to finance and infrastructure and various opportunities made available through Zimele, we help them stand up for themselves. It also gives back hope to the community, so that they look forward to doing something for themselves. Zimele adds value – communities do not need to depend on the mine – they can start businesses and enterprises that can be successful, with or without the mine.
Since 2018, Zimele has supported 20,968 jobs and created R7 billion worth of market linkages. More than 6,370 beneficiaries have completed or graduated from various Zimele programmes, and we continue to provide communities with tools and access to opportunities to progress in life.