By Eamonn Ryan
This month Aspasa director Nico Pienaar
celebrates 20 years as director of Aspasa, an era
which has seen enormous change in the quarry
industry.
FACE TO FACE
P
ienaar’s personal and business outlook is
different from most South Africans: that’s
because, notwithstanding his Afrikaans
name, he grew up in Swaziland and never acquired
South Africa’s racial obsession. He became a trade
unionist once he moved to South Africa – an
unusual occupation for a white male in the ‘old’
South Africa.
It was just a normal job, not a reflection of
political leanings. However, the job was enjoyable
if for no other reason it made general management
wary of him. It was the first step (along with a
master’s degree in law, specialising in labour law
and industrial relations) on a route that ultimately
led to his present job as director of Aspasa.
“It was a different, relaxed, easy market with
enough work for all and an association still in
its infancy. The main focus was the health and
safety audits – with watered-down environmental
audits. Twenty years ago, most of the quarries were
mom-and-pop operations and the people in the
industry all knew each other. Aspasa would arrange
trips to neighbouring countries, and have regional
meetings which were more like social events.
Overseas tours to Germany and the UK were
arranged which were all very well supported.”
Along with the many small operations there were
two or three big players who called the shots. As
time went by, says Pienaar, morale changed and
people saw each other as threats and the big players
steadily bought out smaller ones. The result was a
transition phase.
“It was interesting to see how people got into
senior positions sometimes, then got it all wrong
as the industry had not yet professionalised. They
damaged successfully run businesses, brought in
‘nail your co-worker’ attitudes and were in many
cases very poor leaders. If one had to do a study
on their companies and individuals, it would be
interesting to research how they got it so wrong.
When dealing with employees as an industrial
relations specialist, one sees the problems, but if
you dare raise them then you are deemed not a
team player. The saying ‘the fish rots from the head’
is so true,” says Pienaar.
However, the result of the consolidation over
the years is that today mines are well run, focused
www.quarryonline.co.za
How the industry looked
back then
Nico Piena
ar, direct
or of Aspa
award fro
sa receive
m Mineral
s an honor
Resources
ary
Minister, G
wede Man
tashe.
QUARRY SA | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019_27