Anglo American Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen mine launched the 2018 Youth Internship Programme for youth residing in the Gamagara and Joe Morolong municipal areas on Friday 27 July 2018.

Sishen mine’s Public Affairs Department partnered with the two local municipal offices regarding this 18-month internship programme with the aim to equip local graduates for better employment opportunities and to provide funding for the 48 unemployed graduates in the Gamagara and Joe Morolong municipal areas.

The 48 interns, 34 from Gamagara and 14 from Joe Morolong, have been placed with various employers for the duration of the project to obtain knowledge, skills, experience and on the job training. These employers include Sishen mine, Joe Morolong and Gamagara municipalities, Statistics South Africa, The Department of Education, The Department of Social Development and Kurara FM.

Each intern will receive a stipend for the duration of the internship program. The workplace exposure will assist and empower all interns to be ready for employment opportunities and to be better equipped for future occupations. 

Mapi Mobwano, general manager at Sishen mine articulated the crucial role the mine aims to play in tackling the issue of unemployment within the John Taolo Gaetsewe area. “We as Kumba want to plough back into the community and an initiative like this not only gives the youth an opportunity to gain adequate work exposure, but it also allows us as a company to make a difference within the society,” he said addressing the audience composed of the interns and representatives from the two municipalities.

“I am very grateful to Kumba for allowing me the opportunity to gain experience so that I can grow as a professional and be able to enter the job market with added skills and knowledge,” said Malebogo Jacobs, a graduate who had obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Motion Picture Medium in 2017. She is one of the many young graduates who had been afforded the opportunity to join and build their careers within Sishen mine, and now form part of the 6000 employees that make up the mine.

Both municipalities were well represented at the launch which took place at Sishen mine and expressed their gratitude to the mine’s Socio-Economic Development section for allowing them to be part of such an influential initiative.