Transcript Slide 1

Ms. Faith Letlala (National Union of Mineworkers)
STRATEGIES TO ACCELERATE THE INTEGRATION OF WOMEN
Introduction
 Active participation of women and the direct consideration
of their specific needs in the mining sector is a fairly new
aspect.
 NUM initially made dominated has been active promoting
women empowerment in mining sector since late 1990s
 NUM acceded to Cosatu 1999 resolution on increase of
women presentation in all its affiliates; contributed to
mining charter, and to SLP with women interests
Introduction Cont’d
Caution:
No. of women
indicated black
and white; hence
can distort extent
to which the
transformation
objective has been
achieved
Importance of more women in the sector
 Increase in employment opportunities and welfare given
the number of female headed households
 Higher levels of productivity when supplemented by
appropriate technology
 Good negotiators and better articulators of society need
beyond monetary income
 More responsible use of income generated
Achievements for women in the sector
 Women in the sector not being prejudiced because of
physiological nature (NUM Anglo Coal Agreement 2013)
 General acceptance and support of re-skilling, skills
upgrade and training for WIM
Tools for increase of women in the sector
Regulations mainly:
 Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act
(2002/2008): stipulates substantial and meaningful benefit
historically disadvantaged including women
 South African Mining Charter (2004/2011): Set target of 10%
participation of women in the mining sector within 5 years of
implementation
 Employment Equity Act (1998): No discrimination in the work
place based on gender among other factors
Effectiveness of tools for increase of WIM
 Women substantially benefiting the sector (MPRDA):
+? or – ?
 10% women participation in the sector (Mining charter): +? or – ?
 No gender discrimination at work (Employment Equity): +? or – ?
 Persuasion and good employer’s good will:
+? or – ?
Reporting concerns on WIM
Employment equity objective: Diversification of workplace to reflect the country's demographics
Compliance target by 2014: 40% across all levels of employment
Reported actuals (DMR)
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014 - March
Top management (Board)
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Senior management (Exco)
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Middle management
30%
30%
40%
40%
40%
Junior management
40%
40%
40%
40%
40%
Core skills
15%
20%
30%
35%
40%
 With women being 51.3% of the population, evidence on the ground does not
support suggestion that the target has been achieve
Persisting challenges
 Safety particular underground
 Assignment of subservient jobs and salaries disparities
 Reluctance by the employers to provide real time data on the
implementation of the mining charter provisions constraining
independent evaluation

Lack of well-planned career path and support for women to
move up within the hierarchy of the employer firms
Way forward
 Consolidate partnership among all stakeholders working towards
increase of WIM
 Agree on a intervention model that makes a business case for mutually
beneficial increase of women in the mining sector
 Eradicate the notion that women participation and women welfare in
the sector will be achieved at the cost of their male colleagues
 Put in place mechanism/protocol for independent assessment of
progress made on WIM targets by all stakeholders
 Practical steps to enforce legislation in cases of non-compliance