Transformation

Sentula recognises the importance of broad-based black economic empowerment, not only for historically disadvantaged South Africans, but for the development of sustainable growth in all our countries and regions of operation. In South Africa, we fully support the principles of transformation and use the dti scorecard as the main mechanism with which to measure our progress. As our clients are required to meet the various requirements of the Mining Charter, we endeavour to uphold similar standards in the way we run our business.

As a level 5 BBBEE contributor, we aim to consistently improve our performance in this arena. Our transformation planning is an ongoing process and considerable energy is invested into this aspect of our business. Sentula is on track to reach level 4 status in 2012. In addition, we embrace a balanced approach to the dti scorecard, in that all the pillars of transformation are considered.

Procurement

In accordance with Sentula’s preferential procurement policy and strategy, the Group has implemented a preferential approach with particular emphasis on small and medium-sized enterprises and we actively seek out new black empowered businesses that can be linked into our supply chain. In addition, we consider enterprise development and job creation opportunities for qualifying small enterprises in the delivery of support services such as security, wash bays, accommodation, transport and catering.

 As the majority of the capital equipment and machinery we use to carry out our business is not manufactured in South Africa, preferential procurement can present a challenge. Wherever possible though, we make a determined effort to source goods and services from accredited BBBEE suppliers and service provider. At our operations, both in and outside South Africa, we make every effort to uplift local communities by supporting surrounding businesses and hiring local people. 

Management control and employment equity

For us, employment equity is a strategic business imperative and we believe that its implementation is central to good human resource management and excellent customer service to a broad and diverse stakeholder base. Sentula is an equal opportunity employer and does not tolerate any form of discrimination. We seek to instil a genuine culture of transformation within our organisation and are committed to increasing the number of HDSAs in management positions. Management control in the dayto- day running of the Group is conducted by executive directors with a minimum of 30% black representation.

Employment equity committees meet regularly to discuss employment equity policy, vacancies, promotions, training and skills development. To better reflect the demographics of the areas in which we operate, we make every effort to promote black employees, particularly females, from junior to middle and senior management positions. We have also increased the number of learnerships for black employees.

Skills development and training

Learning and development forms an integral part of our employment strategy and to assist in the transformation of our business, we have compiled a skills development expenditure and learnership matrix at subsidiary level. We retain the services of several training and skills development institutions and meet our succession planning objectives by facilitating the advancement of employees within the organisation through formal training initiatives developed to provide the feedstock for future management.

In future, Sentula hopes to create a centralised in-house training facility. The Benicon in-house training academy was launched during the reporting period, with two groups of a total of 20 employees training as bulldozer operators.

Further education is encouraged at Sentula and to support employees, subsidies for further higher education are made available. We encourage employees to attend courses that will improve their competencies at work in the immediate and mid-term future.

Enterprise and socio-economic development

The Sentula Transformation Trust was set up to regulate and coordinate our approach to socio-economic and enterprise development and to allocate funding for approved projects in these areas. This is conducted in line with the dti’s Codes of Good Practice. The trust supports local development projects in close proximity to the Group’s operations, preferably within communities where Sentula employees and their families reside. It aims to aid the development of projects that are complementary to existing institutions or initiatives by government agencies, private investors, communitybased and non-governmental organisations. In line with good corporate governance, the trust differentiates between community activities that are largely philanthropic in nature and those that have a more direct business benefit.