5 minute read
Women in Mining
Future-Proofing Mining Through Gender Equality
By Jessie Taylor
Mining has historically been a male-dominated industry. But more women are gradually taking up their place in the industry, bringing insights, innovation and a drive to improve gender equality.
Women have only been legally allowed to work underground in mining operations for less than three decades, but today, South Africa’s mining industry employs 64 500 women out of a total workforce of 455 200. Organisations such as The Minerals Council aim to double the percentage of women in mining by 2025 and achieve 30% to 40% women representation across the industry over the next decade.
Nolitha Fakude, the first woman President of the Minerals Council in its 132-year history, explained that the modernisation of mining has helped make mining a physically safe, attractive career for women, in turn, driving transformation, growth and sustainability of the sector.
“Growing the sector is essential for the country’s economic growth. South Africa’s economy was built on mining, which peaked in the 1980s due to a surge in gold pricing. In 1980, mining accounted for 21% of the country’s GDP and employed more than 760 000 individuals. Last year, the mining sector’s direct contribution to GDP grew by 4% to R494-billion.”
She added that the work of women in the adoption and implementation of modernised mining approaches, research and systems implementation is often unrecognised.
“As we seek to break the bias for everyone, regardless of gender stereotypes, these women truly are heroes, making a marked contribution to their company’s modernisation strategies and rollout. They give us all something to aspire to and to make a difference in our own ways,” - Nolitha.
Among some of the women making strides in creating safer, more sustainable and more equitable workplaces are:
Dr. Adwoa Issaka
Dr Adwoa Issaka is the first black South African woman to earn a doctorate in Mining Engineering. The 35-year-old graduated from Wits University in 2023. Dr Issaka’s research provides recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining. With her research, she underscores the urgent need for effective legislation, regulation, and structured frameworks to address the challenges faced by the artisanal and small scale mining (ASM) sector.
“I strongly believe that the benefits of mining need to outlive the life of the mine. If it can be done here in South Africa, it can be done anywhere with the right systems, legislations, policies, and leadership in place.”
Dr. Issaka believes that while women may face challenges in the mining industry, these can also serve as opportunities for growth and impact, especially if women have access to empowerment and support.
She was raised in the gold mining town of Virginia in the Free State and became fascinated by the impact of mining activities on her community. Her studies have primarily focused on finding solutions to the safety and socio-economic challenges mining communities face. Her research focused on ways to position small scale mining as a cornerstone of sustainable development.
Raksha Naidoo
Raksha Naidoo, chairperson of Women in Mining South Africa and CEO of the Particle Group, has championed female empowerment in the mining sector.
A natural people’s person and leader, Raksha has always had a passion for mentorship. This passion drove her to become involved with Women in Mining. She has previously been recognised as one of the top 100 inspiring women in mining, and has been a driving force behind the Women in Mining mentorship programme, which supports young women.
This programme aims to fill a need that she personally encountered throughout her career. She said it was challenging to find female mentors and role models who shared her background and experiences.
“Empowerment, for me, is all about living the example and actively being a role model for change. I struggled at times to find mentors who looked like me or sounded like me, so I worked hard at becoming the mentor that I needed,” she said. Raksha’s efforts at empowering women in the mining sector have helped challenge gender disparities and create a more inclusive industry.
Julie Courtnage
With more than three decades of experience in the minerals sector, Julie will now put her expertise towards revitalising mining research, development and innovation at the Mandela Mining Precinct. She was appointed as Director of the Mandela Mining Precinct in 2023. The Mandela Mining Precinct is a public-private collaboration between the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Minerals Council of South Africa to ensure the industry’s sustainability.
A seasoned environmental scientist, Julie has hands-on operational experience as well as advocacy work with the former Chamber of Mines of South Africa. She has a vast range of experience in engaging at regional and international levels within policy structures and has also authored 21 publications, both in popular and academic spheres.
“Connecting with the humanity in everyone” is one of her deepest drivers and an attribute she hopes to draw from in leading growth at the Mandela Mining Precinct through catalysing high-quality collaborative research. Trees do what they do best: quietly and without fanfare, they grow. And that is the path of the Mandela Mining Precinct: growth,” she said.
The mining sector offers a unique opportunity for women to transform both the sustainability of and equity of the sector through their work and the mentorship of other women. Future-proofing the industry will require innovative contributions in which women help build a safer and more efficient sector that will benefit all of society.
