Nelson Mandela made it his life’s work to fight for every South African citizen’s human

rights, and spent 67 years of his life pursuing this ideal. In 2009, the United Nations declared 18 July as Nelson Mandela International day, and issued a call to action for people all around the world to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. Each of the 67 minutes of voluntary service that is asked of us, represents a year that Mandela spent fighting for human rights. As South Africa and the world got out and did their bit to honour Madiba on this special day, Wesizwe Platinum staff rolled up their sleeves and got down to some serious dirty work!

The Bakubung Clinic was built in 1970 and the original building still survives, and is used as a youth center. The facility was later extended, and officially re-opened in 1990, with added wards and consulting rooms. With the passage of time, it became clear that the existing structure

was not able to meet the primary health care needs of the residents, and could not cope with an ever-growing population and demand for health-care as prescribed by the constitution. The building was also in need of serious repair and sprucing up. In response to the situation, Wesizwe Platinum has undertaken, as part of its Social Labour Plan, to extend the facility and build a brand new and bigger clinic. Construction on the new project will commence on 24 July 2013. This will entail the construction of

a brand-new block, and a complete revamp and refurbishment of the existing one. It is estimated that the project will be completed by July 2014. Spurred on by the recognition that healing does not only depend on the administration of drugs and strapping of bandages, but also includes a healthy diet and an appealing environment, Wesizwe approached Top-Turf, a gardening and landscaping specialist company that has for the past thirty years or so maintained the grounds around the Sun City complex, to help regenerate the front garden of Ledig Clinic. Tshepo Serame, South Village Manager at Top-Turf, together with Cecil Thompson, Acting Resort Manager, gladly agreed to come on board. They not only donated trees, shrubs, and ground covers for the project, but also ensured that their crew joined in the revamp of the garden! “The plants we supplied are “water-wise”, and will survive in this area under harsh, dry conditions”, said Thompson. Once fully grown and developed, the plants would also act as a shield against the

yearly dust storms that made life difficult for the medical and cleaning staff at the clinic.

As the crew got their hands dirty in the garden, other Wesizwe members got down to scrubbing floors inside the clinic. Learners from Ratheo Primary joined in and cleaned the windows, while others picked up litter around the clinic yard, and raked leaves and grass around the grounds under the guidance of their teachers Mrs. Mathebula and Mrs. Motsaalore. Some members of the public, who had come in for consultation, duly joined in, offering a helping hand. Mrs Lerofye, a traditional healer who uses the clinic grounds to provide herbs and healing plants for those that need them, gladly joined the crew and gave tips on the medicinal value of some her plants.

Sister Nomsa Masilo, the Bakubung Clinic manager, said: ‘’We are very happy and appreciate receiving this kind of help from all of you. A healthy environment and appealing surroundings are also a part of the standards we need to maintain as the Department of Health, and we will do our level best to try and keep both the garden and the yard as clean and waste free as we can.’’

Oratile Maitshotlo, a learner at Ratheo Primary, added: ‘’I am very happy to be doing this good work for our clinic because it helps us a lot when we are sick. People should always engage in doing the 67 minutes, not only for today but it should be a daily thing, and it should not be spent doing wrong things such as drinking alcohol. It should be done on things that will benefit us in the future, just as Madiba did.’’ Meanwhile, other Wesizwe crew members went into the neighbouring village to clean water tanks. The company has over the past years, as part of its social responsibility programme, provided water tanks for the Bakubung

AUGUST 2013

Bringing news and views to the Ledig Community

Local church combats substance abuse P7 together with youth

Wesizwe Platinum meets the youth at P2Careers Expo!

Interview with Basetsana Ramaboa P8In Celebration of National Women’s Month P4

Wesizwe Platinum and Top-Turf give more than 67 minutes on Mandela Day!By a Staff Reporter

Evangelist Kaopa Mbele opening with a prayer

The piazza at the centre of Waterfall Mall in Rustenburg was a hive of activity as various companies interacted with shoppers during Careers

Expo 2013. The Wesizwe Platinum team were in attendance, ably led by Recruitment Manager Brenda Modisane, and spent the five days of the event giving friendly advice and helping potential students and interns complete application forms and get to grips with mining as a potential career. “Our main purpose is to reach out to young stakeholders with an interest in pursuing a career in mining or mining-related disciplines. We’re also here to promote Wesizwe’s vision of being a top employer of choice, and prepare the industry for its future resourcing needs”, Brenda explained.The Careers Expo has been in existence for many years. “Before the mall was built, we used to hold it at the Rustenburg Show grounds,” explained Marikie Visser of Marketing Mix, the company that organises and stages this expo annually. “We moved to Waterfall Mall to capture a more diverse pool of interested people under the more relaxed roof of a shopping mall. It’s also been our experience that young people across South Africa frequently visit shopping malls, and this presented an opportunity to catch their attention. Anyway, since adverts went out in the local papers, lots of young people have called to ask about the Expo”, Marikie added. At the Wesizwe exhibition stand, it was all action as people stepped in to ask questions about mining careers. Some lucky visitors and learners who showed keen interest in Wesizwe and mining in general, received gifts of appreciation from the team. There was also a contact register provided for visitors and learners who required detailed technical responses to their questions.

Wesizwe is offering a number of bursaries to study towards a degree or diploma in the fields of Mining, Chemical, and Electrical Engineering for the 2014 academic year. There are also learnerships and apprenticeships available in the fields of Fitting & Turning, Diesel Mechanics, Boilermaking, Riggers, etc. Brenda further explained that “…a learnership is a structured

learning process for gaining theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the workplace, leading to a qualification registered on the National Qualification Framework (NQF). A learnership is outcome-based and not time-based and allows for recognition of prior learning. Whilst the learnership does not guarantee a job upon completion, it provides a qualification and work experience to put the young person in a better position to get a job in the marketplace”, Brenda explained.

There are limited positions available, and apprenticeships require some basic qualifications before candidates can be considered. All enquiries should be directed to 014 573 4908/9 or Recruitment@wesizwe.com

2AUGUST 2013 AUGUST 2013 3

Wesizwe Platinum meets the youth at Careers Expo!By a Staff Reporter

Jan Hattingh: Resident Engineering Manager, Basetsana Ramaboa: HR Executive, Eddie Mohlabi: General Manager and Brenda Modisane: Recruitment Manager at the Career’s Expo.

Brenda Modisane, Recruitment Manager, meets with Bakubung Platinum Mine General Manager, Mr Eddie Mohlabi

Linda Sithole: Geologist and visitors

community. Although the provision of water and maintenance of tanks is a municipal function, the crew felt it was their duty to lead the way! The guys set out to bring the tanks down, treat them with disinfectant, and pressure wash and rinse them. They also repaired leaking joints and taps, as well as sealing inlets to the tanks to avoid contamination. After a long slog, all crews regrouped at the clinic to congratulate each other and shake hands on a good day’s work done! Mrs Sekano, a village elder and member of the Bakubung Clinic board, thanked the crews for selflessly giving of themselves and their time. She said their work will help everyone to recognize their individual power to make an impact and help change the world around them for the better.

Brenda Modisane: Recruitment manager and visitors Lesego Motlhatlhedi: Stakeholder Relations Officer chats with a visitor

This month saw the people of South Africa playing their part in giving 67 minutes of

their time to a good cause on National Mandela Day. At Wesizwe’s head office, our very own staff members joined in the spirit of the occasion and made a difference to the lives of others.

Inspired by the words and actions of Madiba, three Wesizwe staff members galvanised the

office into action and invited people to support the children’s ward at Johannesburg General Hospital by contributing R67 each to a fund which would take a small food treat to the sick children on the ward. Team Wesizwe on Mandela Day consisted of Lireko Ncube, Dimpho Maruping and Mpho Matshidiso. A total of R1072 was raised and was used to purchase McDonalds happy meals which were taken to the ward by the Team Wesizwe members.

The idea came from Lireko originally who wanted the company to contribute to Mandela Day by visiting Johannesburg General Hospital’s children’s ward,

taking gifts, praying with them and playing with them. When the Wesizwe team arrived at the hospital, they spoke to the ward sisters who took them to the children’s ward - everyone was very happy to see the team and their gifts. The Wesizwe team got to spend a lot of time with the children and the whole experience was both emotional and fulfilling. The children had a range of medical conditions and were being treated for burns, broken bones, and brain tumours, amongst other things. The children

were happy not only to receive the gifts, but also to know that someone had given up their time to spend it with them in hospital. The older children understood the meaning of Mandela Day but the younger children were just happy to see people visiting them.

Speaking about the lasting memories that the visit held for the team, Lireko said: “For me it was too emotional, it left me wanting to do more and something bigger next year in order to make a difference. It also made me think that we should not just wait for Mandela Day each year to contribute, we should do things throughout the year.” Dimpho added: “The visit made me realize just how lucky we are as individuals – I have children of my own and to appreciate that my children are healthy and happy, whilst seeing those children lying sick in hospital - it made my heart break.” For the Wesizwe team, the experience made them realize that just 67 minutes can make a difference to the lives of those in need.

In Celebration of National Mandela Day at Wesizwe Platinum

Learners from Ratheo Primary School play their part on Mandela Day

Mpho Matshidiso, Dimpho Maruping and Lireko Ncube of Wesizwe Platinum

Continued from page 1

The whole idea behind the Peter Moruakgomo Foundation is to find a

means of giving back to the community, especially the youth. Work has already been undertaken in KwaZulu-Natal and Hammanskraal. The Foundation was created through the Agisanang Society which was established in 2006 and which deals with developing youth skills and motivational speaking. The Foundation’s plan is community orientated but the main focus is on changing the mindset of the youth. There is a very high potential in the youth of Ledig, they only lack motivation and guidance in their chosen fields.

The Foundation has already identified three schools in Ledig that will assist in the implementation of the plan, including Tswaidi High School, Itumeleng Secondary School and Mphuphuthe Primary Schools. These are also the same schools that Peter attended whilst himself growing up in Ledig. Focusing on the schools, the Foundation wishes to implement

the Triangular Structure Programme which aims at improving relations between learners, parents and the teachers. The learner is put at the top of the programme, whilst the teacher and the parent are both on the opposite ends, in that way should the teacher or the parent not put enough effort into fulfilling their responsibilities, the triangle will tilt and the learner will fail. As a result, both parents and teachers need to work together to ensure that education is received by the youth.

Mr Keke Moeketsi, a partner in the Foundation, says: ‘’Another aim of the Foundation will be to improve and close the gap between the younger and older generations. The youth of today has become so dependent on technology and the western ways of living that they still need teachings about culture and tradition. There also has to be updated information and learning on values, ethics and morals. We have also identified church organizations as places where we can get the most help.’’

Peter’s message to the youth is simple: ‘’Get training in whatever is it that you wish to do in life and always strive for positivity as that builds a great future. Always put God in whatever you do and remember that I am what I am because of him”.

Peter Moruakgomo Foundation to give back to the communityBy Zanele Sithole

Peter Moruakgomo

The month of August is a special one for all South African women as the country unites in its remembrance of those women who

bravely made a stand against discrimination 57 years ago this year. Each year on 9 August, National Women's Day is declared as a public holiday in South Africa, to commemorate the historic occasion when the national march of women took place on this day in 1956 to petition against legislation that required African persons to carry the special identification documents, otherwise referred to as the "pass", and which effectively curtailed the freedom of movement of black South Africans during the apartheid era.

The pass laws were legislation that required African persons to carry a document with them at all times to ‘prove’ that they were allowed to enter a designated ‘white area’. Over 20 000 women of all races and ages from every corner of South Africa took a united stand against this appalling discrimination and marched together towards the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The Federation of South African Women (Fedsaw) were responsible for organising the March, led by four courageous and inspirational women; Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Sophy Williams and Lilian Ngoyi. The event also involved the participation of well-known activists as Albertina Sisulu. The leaders delivered bundles of petitions containing more than 100 000 signatures, to Prime Minister JG Strijdom's office within the Union Buildings. Women throughout the country had put their names to these petitions indicating their anger and frustration at having their freedom

of movement restricted by the hated official passes. The women stood outside the offices silently for more than 30 minutes, many carrying their children on their backs.

Many remember the atmosphere of the Women’s March which concluded with the singing of freedom songs such as Nkosi sikeleli Afrika, however, the song that became the anthem of the march was "Wathint' abafazi, Strijdom!" wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo, uza kufa! [When] you strike the women, you strike a rock, you will be crushed [you will die]! The march was a resounding success, and in recognition of the bravery and determination of these women who risked arrest, detention and banning, in order to try and effect social change, the date of 9 August was officially declared National Women’s Day. In the years that have passed since this momentous act of defiance took place, the phrase (or its latest incarnation: "you strike a woman, you strike a rock") has come to represent women's continuing courage and strength in the face of continuing challenges in South Africa.

5AUGUST 2013 AUGUST 2013

Kabo ya metsi kwa masong: wa itse gore go dirwang?

In Celebration of National Women’s MonthBy a Staff Reporter

Lillian Ngoyi Albertina Sisulu Helen Joseph

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Baitsaanape ba merero ya klimata le ponelopele ya maemo a bosa, ba tlhalosa

Afrika Borwa jaaka nngwe ya dinaga tse nelwang ke pula e nnye, ka moo e nale tlhaelo ya metsi. Go bonelwa pele gore tlhaelo e, e tlile go oketsega modingwageng tse di tlang. Ke ka moo masepala wa MKLM, motse wa rona le metse e megwe e e mabapi, e setse e itemogetse tlhaelo ya metsi mo nakong ee fetileng le jaanong. Setlamo sa Wesizwe Platinum, ga ba iponna ka matlho bothatha bo, ba ne ba tsaa tshwetso ya go thusa morafe wa Bakubung le Mahobieskraal ka metsi; maikaelelo e le go thusa masepala ka lenaneo la go tlisa dithuso kwa bathong. Go tlhomilwe ditanka tsa metsi di le 32, mme tsona di tladiwa gabedi ka letsatsi.

Mogodimo ga tirelo e Wesizwe e neelanang ka yona e, setlamo se ithaopile gape go thusa malapa a a welwang ke leru la leso go sa solofelwa. Boiteledipele bo ne ba tsaya tshwetso ya gore malapa a a ka tlhagelwang ke leru le, a thusiwe ka gangwe ka metsi, gonne dipompo momotseng di kgadile, mme ditanka tsona di le potlana go lekana baagi le malapa a a tletsweng ke matlhoko. Ka jalo, kabo e ya thuso, e direlwa fela malapa a a tlhagetsweng ke leso; eseng ba ba nang le mediro ya manyalo, matlapa, dikolobetso, le meletlo e mengwe. Seno se dirwa ka gore meletlo e mengwe e, e baakanyediwa ko pele; eseng jaaka leso lele tlang ka tshoganyetso. Go lebilwe gape le gore rra-kontraka yo o tsamaisang metsi, a ka pallwa go dira se a se thapetsweng ga a ka re o tshella lelapa lengewe le lengwe le le nang le moletlo.

Wesizwe Platinum, e dirile foromo ya kopo ya metsi ya tshoganyetso, mme fitlhelwa kwa kantorong ya morafe; eseng kwa Wesizwe! Go dirwa jaana gore ga baswelwa ba bega leso kwa ofising, ba kgone le go kopa thuso ya metsi gona foo! Ofisi ya morafe yone e fetisisetsa foromo ee tladitsweng ebile e tempilwe kwa Wesizwe, gore rra-kontraka a fiwe address ya lapa lele tlhokang thuso, a ba isetse metsi.

Ga go tlhagile leso, mme lelapa le batla go dira kopo ya thuso ya metsi, itseng gore go dirwa jaana bagaetsho:

• Itlhagisekwaofisingya morafe ka death-certificate, ka nako eo lelapa le dirang kopo ya lebitla le dithakadu/diphiri,• Tlatsaforomoyagokopametsi, mmogo le lekwalo le ledirang koo,• Kopoe,etshwanetseyadirwa bonnye malatsi a le mararo (3) pele ga letsatsi la poloko/phitlo,• Kaletsatsilelebeilwenglago tlisa metsi, ba lesika ba tshwanetse go netefatsa gore go nale ditanka

tse di lekaneng tse go tla tshelwang metsi mo go tsona. Baagi ba gakollwa go nna le ditanka tse di ka tsayang metsi a a tla kgonang go fetisa modiro, a seke a tlhaela,• Kabo(delivery)yametsi,edirwagangwe fela, mme rra-kontraka a ka se boeletse, le ga metsi a ka tlhaela.

A re thusaneng re dire mmogo bagaetsho. Seno se tla thibela gore batho ba iphitlele ba le mo bothateng ba metsi, le mororo thusa e le teng. Godimo ga tsotlhe, a re thuseng go thibela bosenyi mo motseng wa rona! Ditanka le dipompo tsa metsi ke tsa rona botlhe, ka moo re seke ra ikgatholosa ga disenyi di re utswetsa!

Onkgopotse Leepile was born in the early 80s in Ledig as an only child in a musical family. He started School at Mphuphuthe Primary School,

thereafter to Itumeleng Secondary and Tswaidi High school in Ledig, but went on to complete his matric at Batleng High School. He continued his studies and today holds a Diploma in Music Business and Theory. He realized his singing abilities between the ages of six and seven years old because music was an integral part of his family, and his father was a member of a number of male choral groups.

‘’Music is something that was a part of my upbringing. As a result, I ended up loving it to the point where I would forget the existence of every other thing,’’ says Onkgopotse. He grew up listening to the likes of Ringo Madlingozi, Hugh Masikela, Rebecca Malope and the late Vuyo Mokoena, to name a few. Onkgopotse’s big break came when he won an award at an event that was held at Mogwase stadium for aspiring local artists in the Moses Kotane region in 2006, performing Ringo’s all time hit, “Ngyagodola”. As a result, opportunities started to emerge for the young singer and he was called to perform at the South African Embassy in Gaborone, Botswana for a June 16 event as the only performer from South Africa. But his most memorable performance was the Oppikoppie Ketapele Jazz festival that was held in 2007, where he performed alongside musical legends and childhood heroes, Hugh Masikela and Ringo Madlingozi.

‘’It was an even more amazing feeling because I sang immediately after Bra Hugh and the people loved me. I will never forget that day because then I felt I had made it. At the time there were already a lot of other hopefuls who wished to be me, to see themselves on that same stage, but it was me. Whenever I perform I always get standing ovations because I always invite God into my work. I was born for this industry. I am very much thankful for the fact that I was able to attend music school where I had the opportunity to learn so much about music. The knowledge I gained there helped me have the ability to change my voice for different music genres, as people always tell me l sing like Vuyo or Rebecca sometimes,’’ he says with a wry smile.

In 2010 he was a part of the group of artists who performed for fans at the small designated performance areas established specifically for the Soccer World Cup. He has released two albums to date, his first was released in

Botswana and called “Ngwanyana” in 2007. His second album was released here in South Africa and was called “Ke tsamaya le wena” in 2011. He is currently busy with his third album called “Ke nna le wena” which is due to be released later this year. Onkgopotse’s music is a mix of gospel and afro pop, and he also boasts considerable talent as a songwriter and a session artist. He has written a number of songs including “Shaya ivuvuzela” which he wrote for Platinum Stars and “Thank You Wesizwe”, and he hopes the two companies will buy the songs and the rights to them.

Just like any other music artist he is saddened by the rate at which piracy is growing, commenting: ‘’The people who are producing and selling pirated albums are really killing us because they do not know how much it costs to produce an album, how much it costs to book the studio and pay the back-up artists. Then they sell your album for as little as R30 for all the work that you as the artist put in.’’

‘’I am very happy to have had such a strong support system from my family especially from my mother. She has been with me on all the major shows that I have done and it gives me strength going forward,’’ he adds.

Looking into the future, Onkgopotse sees himself owning his own recording label and with his own music artists who will hopefully be from Ledig, as he sees so much talent in the youth. The only obstacle to fulfilling this ambition is the lack of equipment and the right motivation to push them further. Growing up in a place like Ledig without any form of motivation has not hindered this strong willed singer. It is because of the love and passion that he has for singing that keeps him going. His performance with other great legends proves his talent and that he still has a long, successful road ahead of him.

My favorite language is music By Zanele Sithole

Onkgopotse Leepile

Ledig youth concluded their celebrations for National Youth Month with a bang when they

participated in a two-day sports tournament that comprised of netball, football and volleyball. The event was sponsored by Wesizwe Platinum Limited.

The games began on 29 June with netball and volleyball quarter finals, semi finals and finals all taking place at the Tswaidi High School sports ground in Khalanyoni section in Ledig. The games moved on to 30 June where the semi finals and finals of the football took place at the Western Chiefs sports ground at Letlhabile section in Ledig. The event attracted a number of teams including for the volleball tournament, Hunters Volleyball and Spikers Volleyball. The netball tournament attracted the participation of local teams including Mighty Netballers, Korea Netball, Mighty Girls and Angel Stars. Football teams were represented by Bakgatleng FC, Flying Birds, Kagiso United, PSG FC, Peace Brothers, Mighty Footballers, Mountain View and Young Swallows.

The tournament’s winners were all defending champions from last year’s tournament. Winners included Kagiso Angels in the netball, Hunters

Volleyball team in volleyball and the Young Swallows in football. The netball and volleyball teams each walked away with a total of R5000 including medals and a trophy, while the Young Swallows walked away with a massive R7000, also with a cup and medals. Prizes were sponsored by Wesizwe Platinum.

Young Swallows manager, Mr Elliot Maine, said: ‘’I knew my team was going to win because I am that confident in them. We

have proven again that we are the best and no other club in Ledig can stand against us.’’ These were the same confident views expressed by the team’s coach, Mr Shimane Mogoeng, who expressed his happiness at the result and said how proud his team had made him. He also

confidently predicted that the championship cup will still be staying with his team next year.

‘Thabo Kuate, of the Young Swallows team, echoed these sentiments, saying: “I am happy we won again, even though we were scared at first because we are the defending champions from last year. But the other team showed their weak points too early in the game, and as a result, we used that to our advantage.’’

Mountain View coach, Sello Kgampe, said: ‘’I am pleased with the performance that my team showed today, and I am confident that next year we will take the cup, as now I know what I need to polish it for success.’’

Team managers expressed their thanks to the tournament sponsors because they will now be able to buy more equipment needed by their teams to ensure that they continue to grow and they will work even harder next year.

6 7AUGUST 2013 AUGUST 2013

South African Small Enterprises Communication (SASEC) is a company from

Johannesburg that deals with small enterprise development and community upliftment through government grants, private sector grants. It has partnered with the National African Federated Chamber Of Commerce (NAFCOC) which also represents a number of Black-owned small businesses, together with SETA and the DTI, both prominent organisations relevant to business. This is most beneficial to aspiring business owners, existing business owners, businesses looking to upskill their employees and for businesses looking to branch out into new markets.

The community recently came out in large numbers to hear for themselves how they could benefit from the organization. Attendees included taxi owners, local NGOs, church officials, school SGBs and youth in music and art. Commenting on the event, Mr Nkosi, a SASEC agent, said: ‘’In the Ledig community there are a lot of businesses which are run by one person. As a result, it does not make sense to fund people who are on a one service provider ship. Come together and form cooperatives providing that

particular service then it will be easier for you to get funding. This way our government will cut down on taking billions of rands and sending it to foreign countries as we have seen in the past.’’ The range of services on offer from SASEC includes business management, business accounting, government tenders and grants, logistics, branding, marketing, advertising and training and mentoring.

The organization was discovered by Mrs Mbokazi, a local Ledig community member who whilst visiting Johannesburg, heard of SASEC and its business seminars. She realized that something of this kind was needed back home, as she is also a business woman herself. She said at the time: “This is a great opportunity for us, lets grab it with both hands’’.Sphiwe Thabethe, a youth from Ledig, is very happy with what SASEC is offering as he has lost a lot of money as a result of fly-by-night people claiming to be agents from SEDA especially. He said: ‘I have my own business providing music and traditional dancing, I have tried a lot of times to get it registered but I have failed dismally. I have even come to the point of giving up as I am losing a lot of money. There are many capable

people in this community and I urge them to not let this opportunity to grow their businesses

pass them by. I am very happy and I do welcome this opportunity’’.

The Ledig community gets the opportunity to grow small businessesBy Zanele Sithole

Tournament boosts Ledig sports team spirits againBy Zanele Sithole

The Bakubung Primary newsletter is a quarterly newsletter that was

established as a means of improving communication between all stakeholders in the village and the school including parents, SGBs, teachers and the community. It also aims to encourage young children to work hard in their studies and be the best that they can be. The top achievers will be profiled and featured in the newsletter.

The newsletter project was initiated and is managed by Mr Ike Mokopane, a pastor who is also a part of the SGB team at the school as a Chairperson. He is also the coordinator of the QLTC branch in Ledig Complex, making sure that

the community including all eight schools, business owners, taxi owners and the children themselves understand and take responsibility for every

thing that concerns education. At the moment, the project is being run at Mr Mokopane’s home as they are still seeking financial assistance.

The contents of the newsletter differ with each quarterly publication, featuring all the activities undertaken by the school during the previous months. A very interesting part of the newsletter is the QLTC (Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign) information, a campaign that was launched in Parliament in 2008 as a form of making education first priority in both teachers’ and parents’ lives.

Ms Mpangeva, the Principal of Bakubng Primary School Principal is very happy with the project, commenting: “The rest of the school staff have also welcomed the project with open hands. It is a good project that we will use as a yardstick to measure our performance and to inform parents about our activities at school.’’

Bakubung Primary school is based in Ledig with a total of 625 learners and 20 educators, including a Unisa practical student, a child minder and the principal. The school is also searching for two new teachers who are required to join the teaching faculty at the school, particularly male teachers. Bakubung Primary School is also the academic institution in the village to introduce rugby as a sport in all schools.

Almost every single day a new form of an illegal drug is invented by young drug users

and dealers, and this has led to an increase in experimental drug use, often leading to addiction. The Divine Hope Ministries Church in Ledig took to the streets to promote awareness on the dangers of using these illegal substances. The event was attended by Ledig youth, parents, Divine Hope Ministries Church members and the community’s very own Peter Moruakgomo, a well-known actor from the popular television show Generations. He was accompanied by Moeketsi Phiri, a talent scout and his partner in the Peter Moruakgomo Foundation and Agisanang Society 1996. The event was blessed to have a Gospel poet from Johannesburg by the name of Excellent Cele, a reformed drug user. The event was directed by Mr Mdladla.

The event started with a walk around the village with youth carrying banners saying no substance abuse, alcohol, drugs, crime and teenage pregnancies.

Thapelo, who is a reformed gangster and substance abuser, said: ‘’As youth, we think that we are informed and often we are not and, as a result, we end up putting ourselves in undesirable situations. We need to learn to

discuss positive issues amongst ourselves, issues that will lead us to be better people in the future.’’ He used the opportunity to urge fellow community members to use whatever energy they have for positive things, to respect their bodies and never to be ashamed of wishing for a good life.

Youth needs to understand that it is not necessary to have a bad experience in order to have a good

testimony. It is important to learn not only from their own mistakes but also from other people’s mistakes. They need to know that everyone has to make a personal choice and take a decision on the way they live their lives. And for the ones that have made better choices in life, they should not stay away from their bad friends but rather bring them closer so they have the opportunity to maybe learn from them, said Peter Moruakgomo.

Akanyang Moremi, a community member, said: ‘’I was raised by parents who used to drink a lot, but I turned out differently. I told myself that I will not be like them, that I will make something better of myself. So for people to use drugs and say they come from a poor environment, that is

not an excuse in life. It’s up to us as people to stand up for ourselves and our future.’’

Over the years, many illegal drugs have been invented and amongst them the one taking centre stage is Nyaope which originates from Johannesburg but has since moved fast across the country, emerging in places like Ledig. Ratex, which is a type of rat poison, together with ARV treatment pills, are just some of the contents of this new drug. The side effects of the drug include abdominal pain similar to that experienced by stomach ulcers. Physical symptoms of Nyaope include severe withdrawals, bacterial infections of the blood vessels and heart valves, and an overdose of this drug can ultimately result in lead to coma or even death.

Bakubung Primary newsletter to improve communication between parents and schoolBy a Staff Reporter

Ike Mokopane of Bakubung Newsletter

Sphiwe Thabethe

Volleyball Winners Young Swallows Club

Football Winners Netball Winners

Medals and Trophies

Local church combats substance abuse together with youthBy a Staff Reporter

8AUGUST 2013

Maseve Mine, under Platinum Group Metals management, has donated two vehicles to

the Moses Kotane Hospital. The two vehicles, a Toyota Double Cab and a ten seater Quantum Bus were handed over to the hospital management on Tuesday 2nd July 2013.

Maseve Mine is owned 74% by Platinum Group Metals (PTM) and 26% by Wesizwe Platinum, of which Jinchuan is a majority shareholder. Mlibo Mgudlwa, the Vice President of Platinum Group Metals (RSA) said:, “This is in keeping with our SLP commitments and company’s licence to operate the mine. We also take pride in getting involved in Social Issues and upliftment of the communities where we operate. To us, it is not only about complying with the Mining Act but is a genuine commitment to uplift and empower the communities. In this case, we identified health as one of the areas that need urgent attention, hence the donation.”

Partnership between Government and the Private sector proves to be successful in ensuring that national priority issues and service delivery are addressed as a matter of urgency. The community members of different villages will now have access to the required health programmes available to the rest of the country. The Hospital Management was very pleased when they received the cars. Dr Mangwane who represented the hospital, said:, ”The Medical Staff who will be doing Outreach Programme are mainly under Allied discipline. These are Physiotherapists, Dieticiansetics, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Hearing Therapists, and Social Workers. In Moses Kotane, there are 49 Clinics and 60 Communities that will be covered by this programme. To commence with the programme, the team will start with four (4) Community Health Centres which are based at Mogwase and cover tTwelve (12) Clinics. There will be scheduled visits to these Clinics.”

The Allied Health Team, as mentioned above, had limited resources to embark on the outreach programmes for the communities. This meant that there was failure in bringing health care services closer to the people. The community will no longer have to travel from far places to access essential services, as theses will now be brought to their door step and thus improve service delivery.

Maseve Mine supports the outreach programme for Moses Kotane HospitalBy Mr Mlibo Mgudlwa, Vice President, Platinum Group Metals

Wh a t a r e t h e b i g g e s t

c h a l l e n g e s f o r Wesizwe in terms of HR that will need to be addressed for the remainder of this year?

The first priority is to get the HR team to work together and to fully understand the HR plan and objectives

for the year. The other challenge is putting the necessary HR processes, procedures and policies in place that support the business during this critical pre-production phase. Another priority is to build strong working relationships with all colleagues and stakeholders in the business. This is particularly important to the success of Wesizwe going forward as we are all different people from different worlds and different backgrounds, and we have to be come together and decide upon the internal culture we would like to drive within Wesizwe and to agree on how we wish to be perceived as a company out there in the marketplace.

On a personal level, I aspire to ensure that employees are proud to work for Wesizwe and are proud to represent the company positively and proactive every day, knowing that we are committed to building a best company to work for. We all have to work together to build this fledgling company from a zero base into what could be in 10 years time, a company regarded as the best platinum company in the country to work for. This is the type of vision I have for the company and the role of HR going forward. What are the key HR priorities you are going to be focusing on for the next six months?

The key priorities will focus on human resource development. Besides the fact that it is a legislative requirement, we have specific HR targets we need to meet as a company. My role is to ensure we address the practicalities and the affordability of human resource development within the company, whilst at the same time ensuring the value-add of the business. In this regard, key priority areas will include ABET, core business skills training, internships, learnerships, mentoring, and providing practical support primarily for our interns, our apprentices and our bursars. When I look at the needs of our bursars specifically, the best way to make them feel at

home and part of Wesizwe, is to ensure regular and quality interaction with them on a regular basis. Another key priority area will be on building constructive working relationships with our strategic partners, such as our contractors Aveng and TWP. Such working relationships with those partners over the next six months will ensure that they deliver seamlessly in the HR space.

What do you have planned over the next six months in terms of employee engagement and building a positive internal culture.

We already have the Achievement Awards, but a key priority is to ensure that we have the essential HR policies and procedures in place and that we have addressed key gaps that have been identified. By doing so, when we start to form a uniquely Wesizwe culture and way of doing things, it will be based on a solid foundation. So, for the next six months, I will be working on finalising all those policies and procedures. After that, we will focus attention on the behaviours that contribute towards achieving a specific culture in the company. This is a process we have already started at Exco level. We had our first Executive team engagement session on 29 May held offsite to talk about how we should work together going forward, how we see our roles and how we see Wesizwe progressing in the future. As a result of this interaction, there are already good things that have been agreed upon such as the introduction of quarterly business feedback meetings to the company, both at head office and at regional office. The purpose of such feedback meetings will be to inform employees of the considerable amount of positive change that is happening in the company at an operational and strategic level. It is important that every employee understands how the company is changing for the better. There will undoubtedly be practical HR issues that we will need to tackle on a daily basis, but this will be done as part of this new engagement approach. I believe that communication is going to help us considerably. We need to start communicating regularly with employees, so that they know what is happening in the company and, as a result, they are able to respond appropriately. The more they know, the more they can contribute to, and help to safeguard the Wesizwe brand in the marketplace. This kind of approach helps to build brand pride.

Are you going to be involved in community engagement from an HR perspective?

To a small extent only. For example, there is a training and career expo planned for Rustenburg in August that as a company we would be interested to participate in. We would use this type of event as a platform to promote our bursaries and learnership programmes.

What types of interventions do you have planned that will help to build this "Best Company to Work For" culture at Wesizwe?

One of the challenges I encountered when I first joined Wesizwe was that employees did not have anyone they felt they could talk to when there were issues to be dealt with. I initially started to help by finding solutions to those issues, ensuring familiarisation with procedures and that employees fully understood the content of their letters of appointment and contracts. My priorities for the remainder of this year will be on getting the basics right in terms of HR support, putting the right HR foundation in place and ensuring the HR value chain, from resourcing to long-term incentive planning and retirement fund modelling, is in place. These are the things that will help us as a company to attract the best people and then to retain them. We need to make sure that the career paths are clearly defined within the company. We also need to look at what the company needs to do to support employees to do the best job they can do, this could involve training and development, mentoring, etc. We are also trying to automate HR systems, including basic process mapping this year.

On a personal level, what is your vision for HR in Wesizwe?

One advantage that Wesizwe has at the moment is that it is a 'greenfield' site in terms of HR. Everything has to be created and this represents a very exciting opportunity. My predecessors put in place a foundation upon which to build, but there is a lot of space for me to now create an HR model for the company going forward that represents value add and supports the business. We are building this company together, from the CEO and the Exco, right through the company, and from an HR perspective, that is a very exciting proposition. HR plays a key strategic support role to the business. At the end of the day, you need people to build a mine and to build a company and it is important to remember that a company is only as strong as its people.

Q & A with Basetsana Ramaboa, Executive: Human Resources, Wesizwe Platinum

Basetsana Ramaboa

Dr. Mangwane and the Moses Kotane Hospital staff receive the keys to the vehicles from Mr Mgudlwa, The Vice President of Platinum Group Metals