Mine excursion
The Zulu community around the Kangra mine has been vocal about local issues. In picture are traditional
dancers who took part in the celebrations.
[14] MINING MIRROR JULY 2019
Mankayi emphasised that Menar greatly
valued its relationship with local communities
and organised labour, and was committed to
uplifting the communities in which its mines
operated.
“At Kangra we are working on creating a
model that can be used for fruitful engagement
with workers, community leaders, local
municipalities and traditional authorities. We
are excited that we will be working with all
stakeholders to develop a model that will be
beneficial to all parties,” he said.
Kangra has become involved in a number
of community issues. Improving the sanitary
situation at schools was high on the list
of things to do. Kangra recently improved
ablution facilities at Qalani, a public school in
Saul Mkhizeville under the Mkhondo Local
Municipality, in the area where the company
operates.
Previously, the ablution facilities at the
school comprised old pit latrines that would
often overflow with raw sewage, posing a
health and safety concern for the learners.
When Kangra Coal community liaison officer
Simo Yende was made aware of the plight of
the school and the safety risks posed to its
learners, he arranged for the mine to donate
four mobile VIP toilets to the school.
“Kangra Coal donated the VIP toilets as a
temporary solution, while the plan is to build
a proper more permanent ablution facility. We
are in discussions with our large contractors to
partner with us to build modern, permanent
toilets for the school as part of their CSI
spend,” says Yende.
Canyon bought Kangra in December 2018
and as part of the deal also received an 1.94%
interest in the Richards Bay Coal Terminal
(RBCT), from where the company will be
able to move 1.6-million tons a year. The
mine currently employs about
1 458 people, of which 605 are permanent
employees. According to Kobus Rothmann,
chief operating officer at Canyon Coal, most
workers are from surrounding communities.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)
represents 83% of the mineworkers, while 3%
of the workers are affiliated with the United
Association of South Africa (UASA), and
5% with Solidarity. Nine percent of Kangra’s
workers do not belong to a union.
Rothmann says that Canyon Coal is
currently assessing all options to improve
operational efficiency and optimise
productivity at Kangra. “We are also preparing
for investment into the extension of the mine
operation,” he says.
Kangra is currently mining the Gus and
Dundas seams, and produces mainly RB2 and
4800, which is trucked to Panbult Siding, from
where it is loaded and railed to Richards Bay.
The siding is structured to cater for both these
products.
Kangra Colliery consists of an opencast and
an underground mine. The open pits reach
a depth of about 40‒48m. The underground
mine was initially developed as a bord and
pillar mine, however, it is now retreating
and extracting the pillars on a squat pillar
methodology.
The mine uses Joy Continuous Miners, Joy
shuttle cars, Fletcher Twin Boom Roof Bolters
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