Anglo American Kumba Iron Ore launched their key safety codes at the beginning of 2018 with focus on eliminating fatalities and injuries within their mining operations. The ‘Sacred Covenant Code’ as it is known consists of nine life-saving rules that employees should adhere to in order to work safely and return home safely to their families, every day. Sishen mine, Kumba Iron Ore’s flagship operation, took the covenant code closer to home to the families of the employees and shared the importance of adhering to these rules, during June and July 2018.

The Sacred Covenant Code is guided by the actual safety unwanted events that have occurred within Kumba over the past years. Sishen mine management saw the need and importance to share these lifesaving rules with the families of employees and learn about the possible safety incidents that occur at the workplace. After all, the reason why most employees come to work is because they want to better support their families and ensure a safe and secure future for them.

In the sessions held at Sesheng hall in Kathu, employees signed a pledge to commit to playing their part in ensuring that they and their families will live by the Sacred Covenant code to ensure the that every employee return home to their family members safely, every day. Families were also educated on the Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA) sections 22 and 23 and the role their family members have to play in adhering to safety, guided by the sections. The overall message was that families can also influence their loved ones’ behaviour and contribute towards a safety culture, inside and outside of the mine.

Mapi Mobwano, general manager at Sishen mine expressed his gratitude to have been a part of such a great initiative where employees involve their families in safety. “The Sacred Covenant Code is written in the blood of people who died within our operations. Therefore it is our holy promise that guides us in guaranteeing that we all return home safely to our loved ones,” he said during one of the sessions.

“We take safety seriously that is why we are making this pledge as employees to show our family members we intend on working safely every day. Through this initiative we as Sishen mine are taking safety to our communities and creating a safe culture on and off the mine,” explained Mapi.

The families showed great appreciation and were delighted to be part of such an initiative. “This paints a clearer picture of how Sishen mine cares for its employees and we are glad to bear witness to this initiative,” commented one family member.

This initiative will be rolled out to other departments within Sishen mine over the coming months as the initiation phase of the sessions was rolled out to the families of employees working within the Plant area.