Modern Mining August 2022

WOMEN IN MINING

Diversity within Giyani’s workforce can offer a range of benefits, such as a wider range of perspectives when faced with problem solving. As country manager, Davis has noted a large number of young female applicants presenting their CVs and offering their skills and she takes pride in the fact that these applicants will be given equal opportunity to apply for available roles. Prioritising education is an important route into the sector, and Davis is especially proud of the work she and Giyani are doing to attract and support school and university-age girls and women on a path into mining. One recent example is of local female Motswana student Keitumetse Keiphetlhetswe, whom Giyani is supporting through an apprenticeship with the engi neering consultancy involved in the construction of Giyani’s Demo Plant, which is due to be commis sioned in the first half of 2023. From this opportunity, Keiphetlhetswe will gain enough experience and practical knowledge to be in a strong position to join Giyani full-time next year. Given that the global battery manganese market is expected to grow by up to fourteen times by 2030, Giyani’s commitment to employment diversity will enable the company to select the best candidates from a large talent pool and grow its workforce at speed to meet demand. Davis reflects this attitude – she doesn’t believe in diversity as “a box-ticking exercise” and insists that diversity within Giyani’s workforce can offer a range of benefits such as, “a wider range of perspectives when faced with problem solving”. And while she is heartened by the progress made, Davis would like to go even further in eradi cating gender bias in the mining industry. Like the female colleagues and top industry executives she used to look up to when she was a young geolo gist, such as Lucara Diamond’s Naseem Lahri, Davis is determined to effect real change and spur on generations of young women into a rewarding and critical sector. 

Above and right: The number of women working in the field has increased.

also says that she now no longer struggles to find safety boots that fit her, or female changing rooms on-site. This change is partly due to attitudes moving in line with wider social changes, but also owes a lot to the efforts of certain companies increasing the rep resentation of women. Giyani Metals is one such company, and it has, over the years, placed multiple women at manage ment and executive levels, including VP of ESG, Marion Thomas, company corporate secretary, Judith Webster, and non-executive director of the board, Stephanie Hart. Although no longer working on mine sites every day, Davis says that the number of women working in the field has also increased, and that anecdotally they feel more comfortable and happier in their work. Once Giyani begins producing its high-purity manganese products, recruitment will be a large focus. Naturally, the company will aim to fill many of these new roles with skilled female recruits.

28  MODERN MINING  August 2022