AFRICAN BUZZ
• Do not be influenced by negative sentiments, as they may not
apply to your sector or even geographical area of operation;
• Study and know your own market so that you do not have to
rely on news and television to influence your decisions and
determine your business confidence;
• If you have the money to expand or invest in resources
capitalise on the opportunity and grow your business;
• Never neglect maintenance of your plant, equipment and fleet
as you may need to act quickly to capitalise on opportunities;
• Never look for short cuts to save money. Rather look for
opportunities to make more money;
• Always maintain the highest possible levels of quality, as this
is a long insurance policy to ensure customers keep using
your product or services;
• Nurture your employees and train them to look for positive
opportunities. Never accept negativity and especially do not
allow non-performing staff to blame poor performance on
the state of the economy. Rather encourage them to seek
opportunities in the place of negativity
• Maintain a never-say-die approach even in the face of
adversity and
• Plan to succeed independent of outside factors
Nico concludes, “Those who believe that the downturn is across-
the-board and don’t look for business will not do very well and may
even fail in future, however those who look for solutions and new
markets are set to thrive. If you have given up or are overwhelmed
by the bad news of the economy, then your opposition may
already be lining up to buy your business on auction one day.
Rather stay positive, keep doing the right things right and be part
of the success story.”
SOUTH AFRICA:
WOMEN DEMAND DIVIDENDS
SAWIMA, the South African Women in Mining Association,
demands that mining giants Anglo American and Exxaro unlock
an estimated R65-million in dividends from a BEE deal they were
supposed to receive over the past 15 years. Nineteen members
of companies which are part of Sawima and the association’s
investment arm, Sawimih, South African Women in Mining
Investment Holdings, gathered at the Mining Indaba at the
Cape Town International Convention Centre in February to get
answers from Anglo and Exxaro executives. They handed over a
memorandum to Anglo and engaged with Exxaro.
According to Sawima and Sawimih member Nomfundo Mpuntsha
they have not received any reports of dividends due to them from
Anglo or Exxaro. “We want answers from them and MainStreet333,“
says Mpuntsha. Mainstreet333 is Exxaro’s BEE partner and
responsible for distributing the dividends on Exxaro’s behalf.
Co-founded by Manne Dipico and Zahid Faqui-Dawood in 2006,
Matasis invests, structures and raises funding for management
and leveraged buy-outs, as well as strategic BEE transactions. The
business’ investment targets are shaped by a careful selection
process that identifies where Matasis can add significant value
through direct involvement; and focuses on partnerships
that are founded on a genuine commitment to South Africa’s
transformation agenda.
Since its inception, Matasis has participated in a number of
key transactions, primarily in the natural resources and allied
industries, with a portfolio focused on achieving above-average
returns from privately negotiated investments in companies with
principal operations in southern Africa.
Denver Dreyer, Worley Senior Vice President for Mining, Minerals &
Metals, Europe, Middle East and Africa, says the equity transaction
with Matasis will be mutually beneficial for both businesses.
“Worley is a pre-eminent global provider of professional project
and asset services in energy, chemicals and resources, and we
recognise these sectors as the primary drivers for employment and
transformation in our country,” he says.
LESOTHO:
CHAMBER MEETS SA
COUNTERPARTS
The Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa (MIASA)
welcomed the Lesotho Chamber of Mines to their association at
its first biannual meeting of the year in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
The meeting took place just before the annual “Investing in African
Mining Indaba 2020” that took place in Cape Town, South Africa in
the first week of February. The MIASA President, Roger Baxter, said
that the recent membership decision of the Lesotho Chamber of
Mines signalled the growth of MIASA in the region, as well as the
benefit members derived from the association.
MIASA noted the retirement of Simon Tuma-Waku as President of
the Chamber of the Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC), which means he steps down from the MIASA board. Louis
Watum, who was recently elected as the President of the Chamber
of Mines of the DRC, will replace Tuma-Waku on the MIASA board
and was welcomed to the MIASA fold.
MIASA noted that the SADC heads of state had adopted the
proposed Regional Mining Vision (RMV) and looked forward
to engaging the SADC Secretariat on how the RMV could be
implemented in the entire region for the benefit of all stakeholders.
MIASA was encouraged by Tanzania and Lesotho for aligning their
mining legislation to the African Mining Vision.
SOUTH AFRICA:
MATASIS AND WORLEY IN BEE DEAL PAN-AFRICAN:
INTERRUPTION TOP PERIL IN
AFRICA
Matasis Investment Holdings has recently concluded a 35%
BEE equity transaction with Worley RSA, which will see the two
businesses working closely together to provide transformative
solutions to the complex challenges facing southern Africa’s
resources, energy and chemicals sectors. Business interruption catapulted from fifth position in last year’s
Allianz Risk Barometer (23% of responses) to the top business risk
(31% of responses) in Africa and the Middle East this year as larger
and more complex business interruption (BI) losses continues
unabated. Causes are becoming ever more diverse, ranging
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African Mining Publication
African Mining
African Mining March 2020
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