All aboard Q3 2015 (lr)

Sandy Etchells on top, down under!

Setting the the Context Context Setting of Excellence Excellence -- an an of Introduction to to Introduction Operational Excellence Excellence Operational (OPEX) (OPEX)

AEL DRC in the spotlight

AEL’s Running Club Unearths Fitness at Work

ALL ABOARD Third Quarter 2015 I Ethics Line: 0800 205 280

DIARY OF A TRAVELLER

Editor’s Note

In the spirit of Summer, All Aboard takes you on an exciting and

Contents

colourful journey punctuated with AEL staff activities from around the globe. We share bold achievements in the field, excitement at the office and tremendous joy at play.

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DIARY OF A TRAVELLER: Sandy Etchells on top, down under!

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AEL IN THE NEWS: The Art of Safety

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AEL IN THE NEWS: Rewarding Loyal Service

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AEL IN THE NEWS: Superb Performance

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AEL IN THE NEWS: AEL #DidYouKnow?

our customers at key industry events locally and abroad. In AEL

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AEL COLLABORATION: Connecting with customers

Excellence, Mofihli Ramohlokoane provides an introduction to

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AEL EXCELLENCE: Setting the Context of Excellence - an Introduction to

Operational Excellence

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AEL AFRICA: AEL DRC in the spotlight

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AEL QUALITY: Meet Quality Champion, Dolly Madigoe

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AEL QUALITY: Quality at SHEQ

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AEL QUALITY: Quality Engagement

service award, AEL Northern Cape’s Masego Batlhopeng’s (Depot

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AEL ENERGY: AEL’s Running Club Unearths Fitness at Work

Administrator) sterling performance at Sishen Mine, the IS Safety

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AEL FAMILY: Babies on Board

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AEL FAMILY: Wayne’s Word

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AEL FAMILY: Celebrating Heritage Day

We showcase some of our innovative go-getters. In our new Diary of a Traveller section, Sandy Etchells gives us a light-hearted account of her recent trip to the Fragblast Conference in Australia.

AEL Collaboration shows how our subject experts connect with

Operational Excellence (OPEX). AEL Quality introduces us to Quality Champion Dolly Madigoe who shares her vision for quality at AEL. The AEL in the News section uncovers our colleagues’ inspirational triumphs and thrilling extra-mural activities such as AEL Botswana’s Lillian Murwisi’s (Financial Director) 10 year long

Poster Competition winners and the all new AEL #DidYouKnow? historic information-sharing segment.

AEL Energy celebrates our AEL Running Club that is now officially registered with the Athletics South Africa (ASA) governing body and on the road to participating in major race events such as the Two Oceans Marathon and the Comrades Marathon.

Finally, always delighting us, is the AEL Family section where we get acquainted with the latest generation of AEL family members in Babies on Board, get served a quick vocabularic morsel in Wayne’s Word and a glimpse of our AEL social scene.

To keep our readers enlightened and entertained, we look forward to your content submissions for the next issue. Please email: eubulus.pillay@aelms.com

Eubulus

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AEL under the umbrella of AECI Mining Solutions and in partnership with Thiess participated in the Fragblast 11 Conference in Sydney, Australia from 24-26 August.

Sean Rodger - Business Support Manager: Asia Pacific, Nigel Convey - Divisional Director: Australia, Simon Tose - Global Mining Optimisation Manager and Sandy Etchells - Blasting Science Manager; represented AEL. Simon Tose and Sandy Etchells participated in the Sub level caving workshop: Technical Developments in Breakage, Fragmentation, Flow and Recovery in Sub Level Caving (SLC). They looked at the design and optimisation of the blasting in a sub-level caving application, and focussed on the AEL product offerings such as Ring software, electronics, sticky emulsion, and expertise in other massive mining operations, to enable this.

We get a look of the lighter side of life from Sandy Etchells, taking us through the paces during her travels to Australia.

and overlay them on the Stellenbosch winelands.

Of course there was absolute delight when the Thiess team decided we needed feeding after a hard day of work, and the sheer size of the Australian pork ribs was a clear measure of this delight.

Saturday started with a bang as myself and Simon took a stroll to the finance district of Sydney where the Sub-Level Caving (SLC) workshop was being held as the first event prior to the opening of Fragblast, catching the proverbial no. 99 bus without getting too lost. Well, we both missed the building which was standing right in front of us as we searched frantically on google maps for the venue – the failure of a generation X and Y combination, oh dear!

AEL’s presentation examined the optimisation of drilling and blasting on breakage, fragmentation, flow and recoveries for sub level caves, and how to leverage technology to achieve optimal ore recoveries through the blast design and application of our explosive energy.

The official conference kicked off on the Monday after a full weekend of workshops.

The AEL Australia stand looked magnificent, with the vertical drop model being the centre of attention.

The Hunter Valley is also located a short drive from the Blue Mountains in NSW, the range of which can be seen in the background to the mine above.

While I was visiting the sites in the area, I almost had a change of heart in terms of my vehicle, much more suitable to my character and the Johannesburg traffic (see below).

Sandy speaks:

Bruce Lee became a dedicated part of the stand, as he gave conference delegates the low down of the AECI Mining Solutions offerings, spoke enthusiastically around the new electronics tagger, and explained how the vertical drop system works.

Enjoy the read!

Cover Image: Sandy Etchells on site with the Australian team

Sandy Etchells on top, down under!

Networks were extended across the world, and discussions around challenging technical problems have become multinational from Sweden to the United States, Australia, China, United Kingdom and South Africa.

Evandri Wancik (Thiess), Andrea Dale (Thiess) and Simon Tose (AEL) gearing up to tuck into the massive ribs

All Aboard will catch up with Sandy after her next work mission.

The conference ended with a set of trips out to some Australian operations to see how the Aussies mine. I visited the coal mines in the famous Hunter Valley northeast of Sydney outside of Newcastle whilst Simon flew on to Perth to visit the Kalgoorlie Super Pit. The Super Pit in Kalgoorlie, is Australia’s largest open cut gold mine.

The Super Pit is located off the Goldfields Highway on the south-east edge of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The pit is oblong in shape and is approximately 3.5 kilometres long, 1.5 kilometres wide and 570 metres deep. At these dimensions, it is large enough to be seen from space.

For those of you who don’t know what Hunter Valley is famous for, take the Witbank coal fields of South Africa,

Contact Details: Eubulus Pillay - All Aboard Editor I Tel: +27 11 606 0313 I Fax: +27 11 605 0000 I eubulus.pillay@aelms.com I www. aelminingservices.com

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AEL #DidYouKnow?

Did you know that one of our storage tanks can store up to 16 000 tonnes of

AEL IN THE NEWS

AEL Bulletin Board

liquid ammonia, which is the equivalent

The Art of Safety

weight to the water in 6.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools? See the whole process in a video about our Ammonium Nitrate Plant

Jana van Rensburg, IS SHE Manager announced the winners of the Safety Poster Competition that was running at IS earlier this year. Several entries were submitted.

Rooster Thwala’s submissions won both third and first place while Isaac Maboya’s submission won second place. The three winning posters (pictured below) were showcased on the Edge homepage. The winners were awarded prizes by Moss Sibiya, ISCP Global Operations Manager. Congratulations to our winners who displayed great artistic skills and helped to resonate AEL’s safety message.

on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=8RYUbm48VrI

Did you know 30 years ago AECI developed the most significant breakthrough in safety fuse technology since Bickford's original

Rewarding Loyal Service AEL Botswana’s Managing Director Ronald Joseph presented a long service award to Lillian Murwisi, Financial Director for completing 10 years of service. We thank Lillian for her contribution to AEL and wish her continued success during her tenure.

patent revolutionised blasting practice in 1841? Find out how else we have made, and continue to make, ground breaking innovations by visiting the Our History on our website: http://www.aelminingservices. com/about/our-history

Did you know that data analysis is used in the mining environment? This infographic from Australian Mining shows how this process, which has been rolled out at sites across the world, is increasing accuracy and efficiency at mines.

Superb Performance AEL Northern Cape rewarded Masego Batlhopeng, Depot Administrator at Sishen mine for her sterling performance. From left to right Jaques Botha (Contracts Manager – Sishen), Masego Batlhopeng (Depot administrator – Sishen) and Nic Dreyer (Regional Manager – Northern Cape).

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AEL COLLABORATION

Connecting with customers 26-28 August AEL’s Divisional Director Southern Africa North Cluster, Platinum & Chrome, Hendrik Jansen Van Rensburg and team were instrumental in positioning AEL’s products and services to the market at the annual Mine Safe Conference held at Emperor’s Palace. A range of AEL’s products were showcased including electronics and surface offerings.

AEL COLLABORATION

14-17 September

October 5

AEL under the auspices of AECI Mining Solutions participated in the Exposibram Conference in Belo Horizante, Brazil. Alois Kwenda, Business Development Manager: Latin America and Central Africa represented AEL while Stephen Foster, Dr Director Senmin International and Bernardo Mello, CEO AECI Latam were in attendance

AEL supports The EPC-UK charity golf day that donates proceeds to Hand on Heart Charity which has a simple goal to prevent the deaths of young people who die due to a sudden cardiac arrest each week. The Hand on Heart Charity wants to raise awareness of this and generate

With over 50,000 visitors and 500 exhibitors, the International Mining Exhibition (EXPOSIBRAM) and the Brazilian Mining Congress gather every two years hundreds of entrepreneurs, government and private organisations in a single place. This year’s event marked the 16th edition organised by the Brazilian Mining Association (IBRAM -www.ibram.org.br).

funds so defibrillators can be donated to schools and staff trained in how to use them.

Nick Bird (Business Development Manager – Europe and Middle East) represented AEL at the event hosted in the United Kingdom. The event

The largest mining trade fair in Latin America, EXPOSIBRAM 2015 featured 15,000 m² of stands, represented by major mining companies with global operations as well as big suppliers of products and services. Innovations in technology, equipment, software and other products related to the mining industry, and information about investment and management were released and presented at the event.

was a great success and CEO of EPC, Ben Williams expressed his gratitude to AEL for supporting the initiative for the third year running.

“The golf day is a major fundraising event for Hand on Heart and I

Held in parallel to the exhibition, the Brazilian Mining Congress attracted more than two thousand participants from experts, researchers, students and business representatives. The agenda of the lectures took into account the global political and socioeconomic context as well as the business perspectives for the coming decades announced by the mining companies.

sincerely appreciate all the support received. These competitions are extremely enjoyable, and happily result in an overwhelming boost for Hand on Heart’s fundraising efforts.” Ben Williams, Managing Director EPC.

This strategic opportunity to consolidate the relationship with suppliers, entrepreneurs and the general public, was of great value to the AECI team. Active involvement through participation and key discussions enables a deepening of the knowledge on the mining sector.

Source: http://www.exposibram.org.br/

Hendrik Swart (Explosives Engineer) and Santie van Heerden (Events Specialist) manning the AEL stand.

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Nick Bird (centre) pictured with members of the EPC-UK team.

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AEL EXCELLENCE

AEL EXCELLENCE

An Introduction to Operational Excellence (OPEX) Setting the Context of Excellence By Mofihli Ramohlokoane Operational Excellence at AEL

So what is OPEX

Throughout the years, AEL has implemented various World Class manufacturing programmes e.g. World Class Systems, 20 Keys, 6 Sigma, Mission Directed Work Teams etc. All these enabling programmes aimed at improving productivity with regards to Quality, Cost, Delivery, Safety and Morale.

20 Keys Workplace Improvement

World Class System

• • • • • • • •

Operational Excellence is “Our Unique Way of Work” underpinned by World Class principles and practices in order to attain best business results through Continuous Improvement.

This our codified way of work that requires standards in the form of systems, processes and practices form a basis for continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.

The desired business results are guided by the Corporate Strategy; this structure is supported by a strong foundation of Organisational Enablers i.e.

Mission Directed Work Team

The lesson that we have learnt in implementing these programmes is that sustainability can only be achieved if they are made part of the culture of the organisation.

• • • • • • •

Corporate Strategy Organisational Design Performance Management Leadership and Management Excellence Training and Development Continuous Improvement Edge

These foundational business processes are critical in establishing a platform for Functional Enablers/

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and codified way of work underpinned by best practice.

“To standardise a method is to choose out of many methods the best one, and use it. What is the best way to do a thing? It is the sum of all the good ways we have discovered up to the present. It therefore becomes the standard.

Today’s standardisation is the necessary foundation on which tomorrow’s improvement will be based.

If you think of ‘standardisation as the best way we know today, but which is to be improved tomorrow’ – you get somewhere. But if you think of standards as confining, then progress stops.”

Functional Enablers/ Pillars

Knowledge Management

This is not a stand-alone framework but rather an enabler to the broader corporate strategic agenda in order to achieve specific business results.

The only proven way to implement and sustain Operational Excellence is to completely integrate new principles, practices, tools and techniques into the way that the business is managed.

Knowledge Management enables benchmarking and collaboration of communities of practice in order to accelerate the sharing, learning and rapid adoption of experience, innovations and best practices. This organisational enabler seeks to create a framework of common principles, practices and processes which define how manufacturing conducts its activities.

Pillars namely: Safety & Health Environmental Sustainability Quality Management Internal Controls Asset Care Measurement and Control Planning Efficiency Organized Workplace (5S)

The implementation of these Functional Pillars is not a once-off exercise, but requires reevaluation in order to continuously adopt new and better ways of work. This process is facilitated by benchmarking, collaboration and knowledge sharing. And so Operational Excellence is certainly not about re-inventing the wheel.

Guiding Principles for Operational Excellence The underlying guiding principles for the Operational Excellence include the following: • The Way of Work • Operational Excellence as an Enabler • Organisational Enablers supporting Operational Excellence • Standardization • Knowledge Sharing • Continuous Improvement, and these are briefly described below: A Way of Work A description of common principles, practices, processes and behaviours which define how AEL the business conducts its activities. A documented

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communities of practice • These communities use the Edge as a tool to enable transfer or improvement of ideas as well as assuring knowledge retention and access to corporate memory. Edge also drives efficient information management capability to support AEL growth strategies Continuous Improvement Continuous improvement enables a focussed and resolute approach to improving and sustaining business competency, capability and capacity, thereby delivery on business results. These deliberate and systemic improvements are done relative to an existing standard, and if proven effective become the new standard following expertise (Subject Matter Experts) validation.

In order to truly shift business capability we cannot rely on “accidental” improvements. This enabler gives structure and direction to situational and strategic improvement agendas.

Organisational Enablers This framework and approach is further supported by appropriate organisational effectiveness building blocks such as organisational design & development, performance management, structured communication and other support functions or resources Standardisation Standards are fundamental building blocks for Operational Excellence, however these do not and should not remain constant but must evolve through a structured collaboration process.

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The benefits of knowledge sharing can be summarised as follows: • Innovation, while remaining sensitive to quality this implies that standards do not remain static, but evolve through time • Initiating and continuing Operational Excellence by adopting new best practices • Continued performance measurement feeds the recognition and collection of lessons learned • This becomes validated as best practice and adopted as an update to operating standards • The validation and update process is driven by a collaboration process of appropriate

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AEL AFRICA

AEL AFRICA

AEL DRC in the spotlight All Aboard would like to congratulate Kazadi Kaninda, Business Development Manager, AEL Mining Services DRC on his recent interview with Mining in Africa Country Investment Guide (MACIG) offering an overview of AEL’s operations in the region. We have reprinted the interview below.

AEL has been present in the DRC market for many years. Could you talk us through the development of the company up to the present day?

Kazadi Kaninda, Business Development Manager, AEL Mining Services DRC

Kazadi Kaninda (KK): AEL’s first foray into the DRC came in the 1990s when we established distribution sites at several mines across Katanga, which were supplied by our plants in Zambia and South Africa. We opened our first permanent office in the DRC in Lubumbashi in 2006.

As demand increased we realized that it made sense to build a manufacturing base here. In October 2013 we completed our plant at Kansuki, next to Mutanda Mining.

The facility can produce enough bulk emulsion to supply the entire province. We are proud to supply the mine in the DRC “Made In Congo” products.

Primers and detonators are brought in from South Africa and Zambia and stored in magazines we rent from Socidex, (state owned company). After eight years of operations in the Katanga Province, we are now looking to expand outside the province and create a larger footprint across the country: the first step of this expansion will be to open an office in Kinshasa, the capital city of the DRC, early this year. I am currently located in Kinshasha.

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AEL Group has always believed in this country and was involved here before the current mining boom. For many years, despite difficulties, we were the only international company who remained in the DRC and accompanied the mining houses from day one of their projects.

The business risk was high at that time but we took it, recruited Congolese on permanent contracts and trained them, and invested in state-of-the-art equipment to deliver production at the mine site.

Following the boom in the mining industry, market dynamics have shifted and other providers have moved in. Nevertheless, we are still leading the DRC explosives market.

Explosives providers around the world are beginning to focus on adding value beyond simply product supply. What kind of extra services does AEL offer in the DRC? KK: AEL is not a commodity trader. We do not simply sell explosives. We offer full blasting services to our clients in order to ensure that blasting operations are conducted safely, efficiently and cost effectively. We offer a vast range of products, solutions, equipment and technical resources that have made the company an acknowledged leader.

We start by assisting our clients complying to the country rules and regulations and continue in sending our personnel to pits and underground where they work together with our customers’ mining teams to deliver the optimal blasting pattern that will meet mines’ requirements.

AEL deploys blasting services that includes down-the-hole (DTH) and prime load tie and/or shot (PLTS). We have a department called mining optimisation that promotes consistently good blasts, for improved productivity, sustainability and added value. The division is composed of highly skilled engineers who assist mines to insure that their blasting operations are conducted efficiently and cost effectively.

They do it using multiple tools and methodology: blasting monitoring, data collection and benchmarking, blast and timing design, high speed videography, rock mass motion and muck profile studies, fragmentation analysis, blasting consultancy services, etc. We also have AEL Equipment Services that designs and supplies original equipment to suit any blast environment: underground and surface mining.

Well established in Katanga, AEL is now looking to move out of the province. Where do you see the most potential in the rest of the DRC? KK: In the west, there is a lot of activity in cement production, while in the central Kasai Provinces there is a concerted effort to exploit the rich diamond deposits there. At the same time, several major gold producers have been carrying out exploration campaigns for some years and now want to start developing projects.

A couple of gold producers have already started production in the eastern provinces. AEL is already supplying its services to some clients in the Kivus, the Oriental Province, and the Kinshasa region. Katanga is not the DRC and so

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much is happening in the other provinces.

Just like we had ‘faith’ in the development of the copper cobalt sector, we deeply believe that the other sectors of the DRC mining industry will see rapid growth. We have already opened an office in Kinshasa and have capital in place to invest in the rest of the DRC. As activity regarding the new mining code remains shrouded in uncertainty, how is the current state of legislation relating to explosives?

KK: The current legislation dates back to 1955, when miners were still using nitro glycerin and dynamite, which are fairly primitive technologies by today’s standards. The main concern was security and the correct storage of charges. Now, in keeping with the predominance of safer bulk emulsion products, the authorities have stated that it is the time to update the old laws.

By the end of 2015 there should be a special parliamentary hearing with representatives from the mining sector to discuss potential changes. The new regulations will have a greater focus on safety and environmental stewardship.

How have you seen investor appetite for projects in the DRC evolve over the past decade?

KK: The past 10 years have borne witness to a boom in the DRC’s mining industry.

Since 2005, Kolwezi has been transformed beyond recognition. What was once a ghost town is now full of life and activity. Investor appetite has exploded since 2006. In 1986, Gécamines record copper production was All Aboard © AEL Mining Services

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476,000 metric tons per year (mt/y); in 2014 the total production from the private sector was nearly 1 million mt/y. There is still a lot of room for growth.

Many mines are still producing concentrate and are yet to upgrade their facilities to produce cathodes. Aside from copper, investors are also starting to take note of the country’s potential for gold, tin, other minerals and cement. There are still notable problems in the shape of inadequate power supply and poor quality transport infrastructure, but other provinces are following Katanga’s lead and investing in new roads and airports.

In the early 2000s, there were maximum six banks really operating in DRC but today there are approximately 20. This is emblematic of the growing level of trust between the Congolese people and the financial sector.

How do you hope to see AEL’s operation in the DRC five years from now?

KK: We want to increase our “Congolese roots” and be a key player in the social and economic development of this country through employment and training of locals on one hand and in-country investment and industrialisation on the other hand.

This interview was part of research being conducted by Global Business Reports (GBR) for its upcoming Mining in Africa Country Investment Guide (MACIG) 2016.

Contact Molly Concannon at: mconcannon@gbreports.com

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AEL QUALITY

Quality Champion: Dolly Madigoe

AEL QUALITY

Quality at SHEQ 2015 is the inaugural year for the SHEQ conference with the introduction of Global Quality to proceedings. The theme of the day hosted by the Quality team was Quality: The Heart of the AEL Body.

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igo d a M y l l o D

What is your role at AEL? I work as a Supplier Quality Assurance officer. My role is to ensure that the raw material received conforms to the AEL Mining Services specifications and each consignment comes with a COA or COC. I do the inspections of 3G Electronics, Polymers, and Moulded components, verifications of COA’s and COC’s against specs. My testing and data recording assists with pin pointing the supplier’s major defects. I walk the talk with the QMS. What do you value about working at AEL? Firstly, I value the people and the team around me currently in the Quality department, because together we win. Secondly, I value the systematic way in which AEL Mining Services operates.

I have been with AEL for the past 12 years and I have never experienced a lack of development opportunities for myself and the employees around me. AEL is always open to develop its employees. The benevolent intent and the care and growth programme that AEL uses, shows a maturity in the business as a whole.

How is Quality important to you?

The importance of quality to me is like the body, the soul and the heart. When looking after your body, the most important thing that keeps the person living is the heart, so quality to me is the heart. Once one has difficulties with her/his heart it means the body is dying. So this is the reason quality comes first to me because it keeps the business alive and growing. I value quality more than anything else.

Who is your role model in life and why?

My late mom; I have always loved and admired the way my mom handled the misunderstood issues around her sisters and brothers in her family. She used to handle the issues without emotions and with love and dignity. She was always their pillar of strength. I want to emulate her, in every situation even in my work environment.

What is the most exciting thing to ever happen to you?

I was very excited when I first graduated with a qualification in Management of Technology in Production Management. I have always wanted to have this qualification that was in line with my day-to-day duties at my work place.

What is one thing you want to acchieve before you retire?

I would love to have my PHD in Supply Chain Business Management.

If a movie were made about your life, what would the title be and who would star as you in the movie?

Focus and hope brings prosperity. I will star in the movie as the story will be so close to my heart. I call myself a survivor!

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The morning started off with the Quality team busily ensuring that all the delegates received a heart shaped chocolate to reinforce the theme, a Quality Express newsletter and story boards as well as the Quality pamphlet. Executive: IS Operations, Paul Eagar opened the conference with a welcome address which highlighted the importance of Quality products and services and how quality affects customers and AEL’s growth and sustainability.

The Global Quality team delivered a range of interesting presentations designed to educate and inform delegates about the role of Global Quality and the quality systems available to them.

travelled all the way from the DRC. The afternoon was closed off by Global Quality Manager, Linnea Cloete who thanked all the delegates for their participation as well as the Global Quality and Marketing and Communications team for all their hard work in arranging the various aspects of the conference and preparing the presentations. Sepadi Mohlabeng was also thanked for all the support he has given to the Global Quality team over the past 4 years and Colin Wilson was welcomed as the new SHEQ Manager.

Quality Engagement The new Quality Communications Platform

Overall the conference was a huge success with many delegates indicating that it was interesting, fun and very informative. The presenters, some of whom had never presented before did exceptionally well and received numerous compliments for their presentation skills.

Lee-Anne Perumal delivered a very interesting presentation on the importance of the Quality ISO 9001 system and a brief introduction to the new ISO 9001:2015 standard.

The delegates played the Moon Survival game to educate managers on the benefits and importance of small work groups in the work place to bring about continuous improvement.

The Suggestion Platform and the International Quality Awards were launched at the conference to inform people of the new platforms to recognise excellent individual and team performance. The benefits of recognition were explained to reinforce why it is important to continuously recognise staff for their contribution to AEL’s success.

The Quality Communications programme was explained and afterwards a short game was played to illustrate how quick it is to update the new AEL Quality noticeboard. Lerato Thabede managed to update the whole board in a staggering time of 52 seconds.

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people as research has revealed that

platform, in the form of a newsboard,

people are drawn to photographs of

is being piloted in our Nitrates plant at

other people. We want to capitalise

Modderfontein. If successful, a decision

on this tried-and-tested method of

will be made to roll-out to sites across

capturing people’s attention. The new

the organisation. Aside from it being

Newsboard was designed with this in

a requirement as stipulated in the ISO

mind.

9001:2008 we feel it is important to

The teams converged again to undertake the gruelling task of calculating Cost of Quality. The teams were given an exercise to calculate the Cost of Quality for ABC Engineering Works. The fact that a few of the spreadsheets came back without any figures indicated that calculating Cost of Quality is no trivial matter.

Ultimately though, we found our winners, affectionately known as Team Arnold, who managed to get the answer about 80% correct and therefore the closest correct answer.

The research survey draw was done and Sepadi drew the lucky winner, Michel Bagula, who completed the survey. Michel

A new quality communications

establish an effective communications

To bolster the new and improved

platform to ensure that all AEL

Newsboard we have introduced picture

employees are made aware of the

stories that are essentially a day in the

company’s quality policy, quality ethos

life of employees illustrating their role

and the current quality performance.

in creating quality products at AEL.

The role of the Newsboard is to create

Our newsletter has also had a

awareness of all quality related issues.

makeover in an attempt to make it more

We adopted a “newspaper style”

engaging for our readers and is now

approach by using as many images of

known as the Quality Express.

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AEL ENERGY

AEL FAMILY

AEL’s Running Club unearths fitness at work It is with great pleasure that we announce that AEL’s running club is officially registered with the Athletics South Africa (ASA) governing body.

As such, the running club is delighted to participate at the Old Mutual Soweto Marathon on the 1st of November 2015.

The nationally acclaimed Soweto Marathon race attracted 21 000 runners in 2014 and is a qualifying race for the Comrades Marathon.

The running club looks forward to flying the AEL flag high

and happily invites employees to share the excitement by visiting the AEL gazebo on the day.

“Another milestone worth celebrating is our AEL branded running kit. The team is united by the uniform running kit which enables us to display boldness everywhere we are.

By running in our AEL colours, we have seen an impressive improvement in the club’s social cohesion and team spirit,” said Siyabonga Ngcongo, Chairman of the AEL Running Club committee.

Employees are encouraged to join the AEL Running Club and enjoy an environment that promotes fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

What does the future hold for AEL’s running club?

“Our vision for 2016 is to extend participation to the AECI group and take part in major race events such as the Two Oceans Marathon as well as the Comrades Marathon.” said Siyabonga.

For more information about the running club and its activities, email Merinda.deJager@aelms.com.

Welcome Mila Roberts, beautiful daughter of Trevor Roberts born on 14 August 2015

Babies on Board

Introducing Karabo Kekae, handsome son of Makgabo Kekae born on 10 August 2015

We proudly announce the bundle of beautiful babies that have joined the AEL family.

Congratulations to the proud mummies and daddies!

The running club meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 16h15 at Nobel Gate for a weekly 5km run. Put your running shoes on and be part of the movement. Come along to run or walk at your own pace!

Wayne’s Word Executive: SADC, Wayne Du Chenne has earned his title as AEL’s Wordsmith by unearthing a colourful lexicon to encourage employees to strive for greater collaboration and efficiency. His latest expression:

Celebrating Heritage Day AEL employees celebrated our diverse South African culture by dressing up in their traditional attire.

From our Training & Development and Finance departments, we have lovely ladies (from left to right) Hazel Vuma, Stella Shongwe, Sinah Nkgweng and Nosizwe Ngceba.

Meaning: “To make superficial changes to something in a fruitless attempt to make it more appealing.”

Keep your ears to the ground for the next profound yet explosive verbal offering from Wayne!

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A 2000-ton blast just happened here.