Industry intelligence
Collaboration saves water
After extensive research, South Africa’s
Department of Water and Sanitation,
in collaboration with the Minerals
Council South Africa, has published
guidelines for the mining industry to
use water more efficiently. The first
document, called Guidelines for the
development and implementation of
water conservation and water demand
management plans for the mining sector,
is based on comprehensive research
findings found in the second document,
Benchmarks for water conservation and
water demand management in the mining
sector.
The research was carried out at
39 different mining operations that,
through evaluation of production and
water-use data, have been shown to be
representative of the national mining
industry. It provides a set of national
water-use efficiency benchmarks.
The 39 operations included in the
study consisted of coal, gold, platinum,
diamonds, chrome, iron ore, manganese,
copper, phosphate, heavy mineral sands,
dolomite quarries, and others.
A value of the study and its
guidelines lies in it enabling the
development of optimal water
conservation and water demand
management plans as well as targets
based on the mineral being mined
and on a wide range of other relevant
factors. Many climatic, surface, and
groundwater mining methods and
operational variables could influence
the most optimal water conservation
and water demand management
opportunities.
Mines will develop water-saving
plans based on the guidelines and will
report annually according to specified
templates set in the guidelines.
According to Roger Baxter, CEO
of the Minerals Council, the project
has firmly reinforced the notion that a
great deal of public good can flow f rom
co-operative work between business
and government. “We hope to hear
more in the years ahead about the water
savings that will be achieved thanks to
these efforts,” says Baxter.
The documents can be found at
www.dwa.gov.za/Projects/WUE/
Documents.aspx on the DWS
website (items 3.2 and 3.3) and at
www.mineralscouncil.org.za/work/
environment/environmental-resources
on the Minerals Council site.
Corporate Social Investment (CSI), Socio-
Economic Development (SED), and Broad-
based Black Economic Empowerment
(B-BBEE) strategies in South Africa often
fail because the real needs of communities
are ignored. This is according to Janine
Espin, managing director at Economic
Development Solutions (EDS). Espin says
that many companies still regard these
business imperatives as a ‘tick-box exercise’.
“These companies repeatedly do not reach
beyond first-tier discovery to inform their
implementation strategies, she adds.
If the real needs of the community are
not addressed, the result may be perceived
as negative. As a result, the targeted
community does not only lose out, but the
company will not achieve the expected
returns, for example the growth of local
skills and the development of local suppliers.
According to Espin, consultation with
relevant authorities such as municipal
structures and community or labour leaders,
may provide direction and identify areas
of need or opportunities for value-adding
programmes. “Through the engagement
with the community, the real challenges to
be addressed and opportunities for mutually
beneficial improvements or gains may be
identified,” says Espin.
For one of EDS’ mining clients, the
focus of its Social and Labour Plan (SLP)
investment strategy seemed straightforward:
the rural Limpopo community where it
aimed to invest a sizable portion of its
CSI aspect of the SLP budget, had been
struggling with intermittent access to water
for years. This was also where the local
municipality desperately wanted assistance.
However, the company radically rethought
its investment strategy once it had consulted
with the community.
With the closest high school 60km away
and no money to pay for transport to and
from the school, a large percentage of the
children in this rural community were not
progressing beyond a primary education.
The community felt its water struggles could
be resolved over time by the municipality;
building a school could not wait.
Today, with the construction of two
classrooms, ablutions facilities, and an
admin istration room being planned in
conjunction with the local municipal
structures and the provincial Department
of Education, things are looking more
positive. The municipality has allocated
land and the Department of Education
has committed to allocating teachers for
2019 — the education of a generation of
children in this community is better secured!
The value of this investment is huge for this
community — so is the goodwill it secures
for the company.
Understand community needs to be sustainable
Janine Espin, managing director at Economic
Development Solutions.
There are many examples of misaligned
CSI/SED efforts, some of them so
misdirected that they have led to worker
and community protests. In some instances
where the role of the municipality versus
the company providing CSI or development
investment have become convoluted, this
has led to serious brand damage.
According to Espin, it is critical for
companies to engage with all stakeholders
and interested or affected parties from the
start to prevent the potential misalignment
and optimise the sustainability and impact
of initiatives.
SEPTEMBER 2018 MINING MIRROR
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