MINING IN FOCUS
Is the number of women in mining growing?
In South Africa and around the world, the demand for
women in mining is becoming greater. As a result, more
women are beginning to carve out careers in mining, not
just underground, but above ground, providing support to
those working underground within management, processing
plants, smelters, construction, logistics, and so on. Despite
many women expressing an interest in the mining sector, we
still have a long way to go before we balance out the playing
feel in terms of gender.
Furthermore, there are still many factors that prevent
women from pursuing a career in mining at an underground
level. The reason is that the industry began as a male-only
environment, and as a result, it has been adapted to the
working needs of men. The Minerals Council is taking active
steps towards ensuring that women working underground
are more comfortable in their surroundings, by making sure
that they have better access to toilets, changing facilities and
custom-made PPE. The female body is a lot different to the
male body, which is why it is so important to customise PPE
according to different shapes and sizes. Something as simple
as tailoring the length of the PPE pants could make a huge
difference.
What does the industry say?
Thuthula Balfour, a qualified doctor who serves as a health
adviser at the Minerals Council South Africa, has stayed
in the industry due to the dynamic nature of the work.
Chairman of Women in Mining South Africa (WiMSA) Lindiwe
Nakedi says, “I believe it is imperative to have more young
women encouraged to study mining courses, be given
scholarships and bursaries, as well as being mentored and
sponsored throughout the process for better success rates in
the career path, particularly in the technical roles as well as
in leadership.”
We also spoke to Ellie Moshoane, manager and director
at Hillside Aluminium, who has worked in the mining and
metal industry for 17 years. Ellie grew up in a mining town
and practically everyone in her town worked on a mine; it’s
part of the reason she chose mining as a career. Her high
school was regularly visited by mining representatives, who
would give students insight into the industry. When they
mentioned that the industry paid well, Ellie made up her
mind that this was the ideal career choice. Over the years,
she has seen an increase in women in mining, particularly in
the artisan field.
We did a little digging of our own, and have come across
stories, quotes and testimonials from women working in
the varying sectors of mining. Wilheminia Manaso, who is
the mine manager at BHP Billiton, believes that although
mining is not a glamorous career, it can be a fantastic
one. She feels that mines were not created with women in
mind, which makes sense given the fact that women were
barred from underground work in the past. However, she
says that this should not prevent them from getting ahead
in the industry.
Ellie Moshoane, manager and director at Hillside Aluminium, has worked in the mining and metal industry for 17 years.
www. africanmining.co.za
African Mining Publication
African Mining
African Mining October 2019
29