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BLAZING A TRAIL FOR
WOMEN IN MINING Elmarie Maritz, Sedibelo Platinum Mines CFO, knows that you can’t create gender equity simply by hiring more women; you have to create a safe space for them to work as well. This is why she has prioritised hiring, supporting and mentoring women in an industry that doesn’t usually accommodate them. And Sedibelo Platinum Mines is reaping the rewards. By Ronda Naidu and Caylynne Fourie
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t’s a challenge for women to get into and be promoted in the mining industry, says Sedibelo Platinum Mines (SPM) CFO Elmarie Maritz. But she also sees this landscape as an opportunity for women to get into leadership roles and support each other on the journey to becoming successful. “It is a very difficult industry to incorporate women in all areas of the operations, and it’s a result of the nature of the industry and women’s physique,” she explains. However, she adds that there are many roles in a mine that women can fill, both in the office and on site. “Women bring a different perspective, that
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CFO MAGAZINE • CFO.CO.ZA
something else to the table,” she says. She believes that promoting and nurturing women will benefit the industry as a whole. “We all have different personalities and skills sets that we develop. Each individual, regardless of gender, needs to make the choice to do this first before they will be seen. However, in my experience, women are more collaborative, good listeners, mediators and definitely better at multitasking.” This is one of the reasons she advises women to speak up. “We often have something to say but think it’s not important, so we tend to keep quiet. Our male colleagues put themselves at the table and so should we as women.”
