SLPs

Our current Social and Labour Plans, submitted to the DMRE in line with the requirements of the South African Mining Charter, are all approved. They consider the training and development, transformation and social and economic aspects of the Mining Charter.

GOING BEYOND MINING – SOCIAL AND LABOUR PLANS

A Social and Labour Plan outlines the commitments a mining company makes and when these will be achieved. These include promoting employment, contributing to the transformation of the industry, and advancing social and economic welfare in host communities. Social and Labour Plan is also a requirement set out in the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act in terms of the granting of a mining right in South Africa.

Local economic development commitments are an integral part of the Social and Labour Plan requirements for the conversion of old orders to new order mining rights, as prescribed by the MPRDA. These local economic projects are the outcome of an analysis process and are reviewed regularly with relevant stakeholders at the community and local government levels. Corporate Social Investment (CSI) projects do not necessarily form part of local government planning but have been selected by Eastplats as appropriate interventions within a particular community. 

In general, projects supported in both areas fall under one of the following categories:

  • poverty alleviation;
  • education and sport;
  • employment creation;
  • environment; and
  • health, with an emphasis on HIV / Aids.

Progress on specific projects and the contributions to socio-economic development are reviewed and reported annually in the SLP reports submitted to the regional Department of Minerals Resources and are included in the company’s annual report.

Eastplats has implemented stakeholder forums at CRM which assists with the development of small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs). To date, 56 local businesses have been trained in tendering, financial management and marketing.

Eastplats has also committed itself to spending 1% of EBIT on SLP projects in water and sanitation and education.