Limpopo Business 2017-18 edition

INTERVIEW
Localisation brings
business opportunities
Benford Mokoatle, Venetia Mine General Manager, details
how new policies are creating jobs in the Musina area.
Benford Mokoatle
Will the underground mine project affect production levels?
When you go underground you reduce waste but the ore mined will
remain constant, if not marginally improve. The carats will marginally
improve from the current production profile.
What plans do you have to transition your workforce to
the underground environment?
The skills required for the underground operation will be completely
different from the current skill levels and requirements. We can
accommodate those who have an aspiration of going underground
by retraining them.
BIOGRAPHY
Benford Mokoatle has 21 years
of mining experience. He began
his professional career in
the Wits Basin and spent time
in West Wits (Western Deep
Levels and East Mine), the
Free State (Tshepong Mine)
and Vaal Reefs before joining
De Beers. He has worked at
Kimberley Mines, Oaks Mine,
Voorspoed Mine and Venetia
Mine. At Venetia Mine, Benford
is responsible for leading and
directing Venetia Mine and its
leadership team.
Does the investment in Venetia underground mine signify
investor confidence?
I have no doubt about that. This is a project of a minimum of
US$2-billion. This shows that the investors have confidence first and
foremost in the country, and secondly in the project itself. It also says
that there is still a market in diamond sales.
Does the mine impact on socio-economic development?
In our region, for every employee that is employed there’s indirectly
10 people that benefit. We are on a drive to localise businesses and
suppliers that we do business with. We will continue to create partnerships
and invest in the local economy.
Are local companies benefitting?
When we started with the BEE drive we needed to be doing business
with empowered or black-owned suppliers. Now that we are at 88% or
90% BEE credentials, we need to localise and do business with entities
that originate from our labour-sending area. So far we have rolled out
about 35 local business opportunities, 50 to 60% of those are sourced
from our labour-sending areas such as Musina and Blouberg.
49 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2017/18