Modern Quarrying January-February 2015

FACE TO FACE WITH ASPASA

MQ’s Dale Kelly has been closely associated with the Aggregate & Sand Producer’s Association of Southern Africa (Aspasa) for over two decades, from the early days when Sir Rupert Bromley was chairman, and then with Aspasa director Nico Pienaar when he took over the reins many years ago. What has become more evident than ever, is that the country’s mining landscape is changing rapidly, with aggre- gate and sand mining operations required to adapt and meet future challenges head-on, if the industry is to grow and prosper; some of these challenges are discussed below. The changing face of aggregate mining

A spasa ended 2014 with a very successful breakfast meeting for the major- ity of member CEOs, which included company own- ers. The cream of the crop in industry got together in December to network and to hear at first-hand what Aspasa is doing for the aggregate sector. Pienaar confirms that the gathering went well, and that it will be held again towards the end of this year. “We had a favourable response and excellent feed- back, and next time we’ll ask for input from the CEOs as to where they believe we need to focus and to discuss different issues.” He says the industry needs to under- stand the changing dynamics of a younger workforce, changing union landscapes and ever-evolving legislative frameworks. “This makes mining in Southern Africa a challenging proposition and something that is not for the feint-hearted.” Pienaar believes that the time has come for industry heads to step up to the plate and steer the industry towards posi- tive growth. More emphasis needs to be placed on training and education to make BEE easier and also to uplift the skills of quarry workers. Communities surround- ing operations should also be dealt with in a positive way to ensure that they are uplifted in terms of job creation and fur- ther opportunities. “By putting effort into

Nico Pienaar, Aspasa director (courtesy Aspasa).

the communities our employees stem from, it stands to reason that the work- force will be more positive towards the companies they work for.” He cites Marikana as an example where the mining industry was caught by surprise. “Mine bosses were unaware of a host of problems within communities surrounding the area, and were out of touch with the workers that served them. Perhaps with better foresight on how these events developed, we can make sure that similar events don’t occur in the future. As employers, we have the ability to positively influence the lives of people in our surroundings, and that is a power- ful tool in running a successful business.” The perception that government and

Regional Aspasa chairperson Letisha van den Berg (courtesy Aspasa).

trade unions have all the power and the employees have nothing is incorrect. “Nothing can be further from the truth as we are the ones who are creating the jobs and providing a living for our workers.

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MODERN QUARRYING

January - February 2015