Modern Mining August 2021

WOMEN IN MINING

That women still face constant challenges in the mining sector is no overstatement. For Mammutle Uoane, engineer at Concor, hard work, determination and focus have helped her stay the course in what is largely still deemed a ‘man’s world’. Staying the course in a ‘man’s world’ company to offer more opportunities to South African youth.

L ike many other women in the mining industry, the greatest challenge for Mammutle Uoane “was working to overcome the stereotype that women are physically incapable” in order to find her place in what is still regarded a male- dominated industry. “Women are often only assigned to administra- tive tasks, and in order to be taken seriously, I had to work twice as hard, especially when handling the toughest and most demanding parts of my occupa- tion,” says Uoane. Speaking to Modern Mining , Uoane says hard work, determination and focus have been key to sidestepping these challenges. “These qualities,” she says, “have stood me in good stead, while respect, dedication and focusing on the bigger pic- ture have helped cement these qualities.” A personal reflection that has helped her to stay the course is to remain teachable. “Bob Riley once said, ‘Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during hard times when the hero within us is revealed’. This is a true reflection of my approach to the challenges that women face in the industry,” she says. Support is key Apart from the role that the company played in affording her learnership opportunities, Uoane com- mends Concor for its efforts in advancing women at the workplace. For example, the company observes special events, including Women’s Month, and also highlights women who are making great moves in the industry. “This gives all women out there hope and courage to also take strides and follow the dreams that may once have seemed farfetched. Concor also provides support through personal mastery and development with its Women in Leadership Programme,” she says. The company’s two-year Graduate Mentorship Programme – combined with its bursary scheme – continues to generate top-class women profes- sionals for the business and the broader mining sector. The Graduate Mentorship Programme, which has overseen the entry of almost 100 young profes- sionals into Concor’s ranks over the past 12 years, also introduces them into the company’s Women in Leadership Programme and its Future Leaders Forum. This focused skills development and mentoring process has become a backbone of Concor’s tech- nical and management expertise, while allowing the

The programme begins with an intensive three-week induction in project manage- ment, leadership and health and safety, before the interns are allo-

cated project sites where they can apply thei r training with the assis- tance of coaches and mentors. Regular for- mal training during the two year period includes a course with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), while gradu- ates are also assisted in preparing for pro- fessional registration. Background

Uoane’s journey in the mining industry started when she joined an in-service training pro- gramme at the Lonmin D e e p e n i n g P r o j e c t , which ran from January to December 2014. After that, she was accepted as a Concor bursar and over the following two years she completed her National Diploma and BTech in Mining Engineering. From January 2017 to March 2019, she was part of the Concor Graduate Development Programme and within this mentorship programme she was appointed as a blasting assistant, then a site engineer and later as the acting site manager at Concor’s drill and blast contract at Vlakfontein Mine. Concurrent to being the site engineer and acting site manager, she was also the project’s quality manage- ment representative. From here she took up her current role as engineer – estimating department, within Concor’s Mining Platform. “Being an engineer within the estimating depart- ment allows me to leverage the experience gained in the field to do cost estimations for potential proj- ect work. It certainly assists that I have experienced the operational aspects on an opencast mining proj- ect and can draw from this skill set,” she says. 

Mammutle Uoane, engineer at Concor.

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