The Anglo American Global Safety Day event held on Monday 29 October 2018 is an initiative aimed at getting everyone in the Anglo American business group to set tools aside and engage in a dialogue about safety.

Safety affects all of us, which is why this year’s Global Safety Day theme was We are all safety leaders.

Sishen mine held a Stop for Safety event with almost every employee in attendance. It was an engaged session with the programme aimed at invoking emotions and to encourage a stance from the audience.

The programme included testimonies from those who had lived to tell about their incidents and those who lived to survive the emotional trauma of losing a loved one. The programme commemorated those that had lost their lives on duty since the inception of the mine.

The message was that no employee must ever forget that those who lost their lives were colleagues, friends and family and that they were working so they could provide for their loved ones. The aim is that all employees should strive to never lose anyone in the line of duty again.

“We all come to work so we can provide for our loved ones and not to lose lives or limbs,” said Ngwako Khunwane, Sishen SHEQ Manager.

The General Manager of Sishen mine, Mapi Mobwano, shared his personal story, emphasising the importance of walking and talking the same language when it comes to safety.

“As safety leaders, we all need to have the integrity to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. That will not only keep our jobs safe, but will help us save lives,” he said, urging everyone to be safety leaders inside and outside of Sishen mine and to practice safety from the heart, instead of the mind.

Moving testimonies from a number of employees were shared. The testimonies highlighted the emotional distress – broken relationships, guilt and rejection, due to the inability to cope with the aftermath of the incidents. According to the Tell All stories, the loss goes a long way and it destroys families, in terms of growth and stability. The incidents have a potential to tear the foundations of homes and families.

This was also attested to by the guest speaker who shared his misfortune, recalling the day as if it had been yesterday. “Just one moment, one incident killed every dream I ever had in my life,” said Mdu Mathenjwa, the guest speaker of the day. He narrated the story of how he had sustained the scars that cover his face and body as well as the invisible emotional scars the incident had inflicted upon him.

COO Darrin Strange left the audience with a plea to always be open and honest about safety – which is part of what leadership is about. “We are currently doing well on safety, however we must ask ourselves why that is the case and focus on the right things. If we know why we are working safe, we will not lose the focus,” he said, also stating that it is not easy to work safely, just as it is not easy to be a leader, but it is what we must all do at all times, as safety leaders.

The theme We are all safety leaders was not just for the purpose of the event, it should be part of who we are – both inside and outside of the mine.

KIO Sishen communication