A S A P S A
feature
s u st a in Development that is
South Africa Magazine gets exclusive access to ASPASA, its 2010 report and learns more about its drive to ‘development that is sustainable’.
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ASPASA FEATURE
ab l e
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ggregate, crushed stone, sand and gravel are materials that are important for the development of a country’s infrastructure. Many of the things we take for granted simply wouldn’t exist if these ‘basic’ materials weren’t around. In South Africa, the aggregate and sand industry is proud of the role it plays in ‘developing a nation’ and just recently contributed to what was a highly successful soccer World Cup. “Aggregate and sand helped build roads, railway lines, stadia and other structures, which made the tournament a huge success,” says ASPASA chairperson, Harley Dent. All these things, wouldn’t exist without aggregate and sand. Aggregates, for instance, comprise 90 percent of South Africa’s roads. But every industry needs a voice to champion, as well as regulate it. The aggregate and sand industry’s voice in South Africa is the Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of Southern Africa (ASPASA), a voluntary membership, private sector producers association. It is a member of the Chamber of Mines, but represents those companies that are in ‘the business of producing aggregate and sand’ and is better known for ‘operating quarries, sand pits and crushing operations’. “ASPASA stands on its own, even though it is a member of the Chamber,” the association says. “The support that ASPASA gives its members is on the strategic and advisory sides of business,” it adds. “A great deal of work is put into promoting the industry and the association to the outside world, but also to ensure interaction among other companies/producers in the industry. Consultation and co-operation within ASPASA occurs on a voluntarily basis and does not encroach on the managerial prerogative of individual companies.” ASPASA is 20 years old this year. In fact, it marked the occasion in August. Remarkably, www.southafricamag.com
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ASPASA FEATURE
to address issues on behalf of the industry. A number of geographically diverse associations were formed. Despite their best intentions, they were unable to successfully achieve their mandates and lacked credibility with the authorities.” A solution, in the form of ASPASA, arrived in 1990. “Membership to ASPASA is voluntary, with a requirement that all members to have to commit to the ASPASA Constitution, Codes of Practice, Environmental Policy, Quality and Health and Safety policies,” its 2010 report continues. “To ensure compliance, members are regularly audited against the respective policy goals and standards through participation in well established audit programmes.” To achieve the industry’s needs properly, regulation and control is required, it adds.
SOUND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
it today has a membership that includes 130 quarries that produce about 80 percent of the country’s aggregate. To hit you with another fact, in 2004, aggregate mining was the sixth-biggest sector within the South African mining industry. And last year, 120 to 140 million tons of aggregate was produced, according to some estimates. “The history of the aggregate and sand quarrying industry in South Africa is a history of gradual association,” says ASPASA’s 2010 report, which, as well as highlighting the drive to ‘development that is sustainable’, serves the purpose of teaching readers about its past. “From the early years of family owned businesses geographically dispersed around the country, the growth of the industry has been paralleled by the amalgamation of these businesses into larger companies. As time passed, a need arose for a professional body 4
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ASPASA aims to encourage the sound and sustainable economic development of the industry and of other industries closely allied to it. However, the industry faces a number of challenges. First, procurement of a closure certificate for an opencast mine in South Africa is a difficult process and the increased cost of diesel and electricity have been pushing up the cost of aggregate and sand. Factors like these put a strain on aggregate-mining operations. Without doubt, the mining of aggregate experienced an upswing when South Africa was announced the host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup as infrastructure around the country needed to be upgraded. However, now the competition has finished, the industry is experiencing a downturn. Factor in that aggregate and sand is not exported, and you get a clearer understanding of things. But the industry isn’t just accepting this or lying down and is doing all it can to drive down costs. Advancements in explosives have
made the mining process cheaper and have reduced the amount of crushing needed. It has made quarries much easier to run. “ASPASA is committed to represent a health and sustainable aggregate industry and a strong future,” ASPASA’s 2010 report says. “ASPASA is relatively young association in a relatively young democratic country,” it continues. “As such it is able to base its evolving credo, ethics, commitments and practices on a rock-solid understanding of its industry and the needs of its members, as well as the society it serves, After a long history of diversified resources, the quarrying industry in South Africa now boasts a united association that is willing and able to blast a way forward to a better future for all its internal and external stakeholders alike. Albeit young in comparison to other industries, ASPASA supports development that is sustainable through the “Triple Bottom Line” approach, in which financial, social and environmental resources are viewed as critical aspects of a business, and need to be managed judiciously to achieve continuous survival and sustainable development in support of this approach.”
We trust the nation will now continue to keep developing in a manner that is truly sustainable ASPASA launched the “About Face” and “ISHE” programmes to member quarries to promote the achievement of sustainable development in a quarrying environment. “ASPASA is committed to contribute and cooperate within the quarry and mining industry in order to provide safety
information and systems and to ensure that no operating condition or situation can ever justify endangering the life or health of any person. “ASPASA recognises that environmental stewardship of natural resources serves as the foundation for sustainable development. Accordingly, ASPASA and its members commit their operation to responsible mining and rehabilitation practices, compliance and optimising the recovery of resources.” ASPASA is also committed to BEE and wants to help create an industry that will “proudly reflect the promise of a nonracial South Africa.” This is seen as a key success factor in creating a truly sustainable aggregate sector. Harley Dent concludes: “We trust the nation will now continue to keep developing in a manner that is truly sustainable.” To learn more about ASPASA and to read its 2010 report in full, please visit www.aspasa.co.za. END www.southafricamag.com
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Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of South Africa (ASPASA) Unit 8 Coram Office Park Ferero Road, Randpark Ridge Gauteng, South Africa Tel: (011) 791-3327
www.aspasa.co.za