ZAC GM Wayne Rowe
iMenjenja Jikilele eZAC uMnu uWayne Rowe
From the GM’s Desk
“Life is not linear; you have ups and downs. It’s how you deal with the troughs that defines you.” – Michael Lee-Chin, Jamaican-Canadian billionaire businessman and philanthropist.
No quote better sums up the roller coaster of emotions many of us have experienced over the past two years than the one above. Great sacrifices and difficult decisions were made to ensure the mine overcame this turbulent period, but we have prevailed and our employees, community members, customers, suppliers and all stakeholders couldn’t be happier that by working together we were able to overcome the difficulties we have faced.
Looking forward to this year in terms of new developments, we plan to develop the Mngeni shaft which will extend ZAC’s life of mine. Mngeni is located about 27 km north-east of Ulundi and has a life of mine of about 2.5 years based on a run of mine production of about 25 000 tons a month. Mngeni is a critical shaft as without it ZAC will not be in the position to dilute the high overhead cost and the mine will not survive.
Community and social development have always been core to ZAC’s values. This was illustrated when in 2020, despite ZAC having then been on care and maintenance, we did not pause our Social Labour Plan (SLP) agreements. We still handed over R1 million worth of new ablution facilities to Zwelonke High School in Mahlabathini, KwaZulu Natal. The 2021 – 2025 SLP holds new projects, bursaries and internships so we look forward to kicking off with these activities now that COVID-19 is starting to stabilize.
We ended 2021, by hosting our annual golf day at the Richards Bay Country Club, in KwaZulu Natal. This annual event, which was unable to take place in 2020 owing to COVID-19, was once more a resounding success, raising over R250 000 for charity. ZAC will continue to seek to operate safely and meet our targets this year to ensure our continued support for all our stakeholders.
Wishing you all a Safe, Healthy and Happy New Year! I encourage everyone to get vaccinated so we can work together to end this pandemic and start building up South Africa to its full potential again.
Kuloba u-GM
“Impilo ayiyona indlela eqondile; kuyehla kwenyukele. Indlela obhekana ngayo nobunzima yiyo ekwenza umuntu owuyena,” washo kanje uMnu uMichael Lee-Chin, oyimpunyela yaseJamaica-Canada.
Awekho amazwi achaza kangcono isimo esinzima esesidlule kusona kule minyaka emibili edlule, ukwedlula lawa angenhla. Ukuzinikela okukhulu nezinqumo ezinzima zithathiwe, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imayini iyakwazi ukunqoba lesi sikhathi esinzima. Kodwa ngingasho ukuthi sinqobile futhi izisebenzi zethu, amalungu omphakathi, amakhasimende, abasithumelela imikhiqizo nabanye esisebenzisana nabo, bajabule kakhulu ukuthi ngokuhlanganyela sikwazile ukumelana nezingqinamba ebesibhekene nazo.
Kulo nyaka sihlela ukukhulisa i-shaft yaseMngeni nokuyinto ezokwelula isikhathi sokuba khona kwemayini i-ZAC. IMgeni iseNyakatho-Mpumalanga yasoLundi kanti iqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-27 ukusuka kuleli dolobha. IMngeni iyi-shaft ebaluleke kakhulu kwi-ZAC futhi ngaphandle kwayo ngabe ayikho sesimeni sokubhekana nezimo ezinzima futhi nemayini beyingeke iqhubeke ibe khona.
Ukuthuthukiswa komphakathi nezidingo zawo yizinto ezihamba phambili kwi-ZAC. Lokhu kucacile nango-2020. Yize besisalungisa futhi sakha kabusha, kodwa asizange sime ezivumelwaneni zethu zokuthuthukisa umphakathi, i-Social Labour Plan (iSLP). Sinikele ngezindlu ezincane ezibiza ngaphezulu kuka-R1 million eZwelonke High School, eMahlabathini, KwaZulu-Natali. I-SLP ka-2021 kuya ku-2025, izoba nezinhlelo ezintsha, imifundaze namathuba okuqeqesha amathwasa afundela umsebenzi. Sikubheke ngabomvu ukuqala lezi zinto njengoba sibona ukuthi iCOVID-19 seyithanda ukudamba.
Siphethe unyaka odlule ngokusingatha igalofu, okuyinto esiyenza minyaka yonke, eRichards Bay Country Club, KwaZulu-Natali. Lo mcimbi wethu waminyaka yonke esingakwazanga ukuwusingatha ngo-2020 ngenxa yeCOVID-19, uphinde waba yimpumelelo njengoba siqoqe uR250 000 wesikhwama sabaswele. I-ZAC izoqhubeka nemizamo yokusebenza ngendlela ephephile nokuthi yenze lokhu ekuhlosile ukuze iqhubeke nokweseka bonke labo esisebenzisana nabo.
Sinifisela nonke unyaka omusha ophephile, onempilo nonenjabulo. Ngigqugquzela wonke umuntu ukuthi agomele iCOVID-19 ukuze sisebenze ndawonye ukuqeda le nkinga ehlasele umhlaba wonke, bese sakha iNingizimu Afrika kabusha.