COO Message | Edition 016

Canyon Coal COO Jarmi Steyn

When we embarked on our sustainability journey, we were not seeking recognition; a sense of responsibility drove us. That commitment has placed Khanye Colliery as South Africa’s first and only Bettercoal producer. This milestone is a win for our operations and will hopefully set a positive example for other operations in our company and coal mines across the country.

Responsible coal mining practices extend beyond our daily site operations. We believe that a people-centric approach, which prioritises the needs and well-being of our employees and host communities, is essential to Canyon Coal’s success. 

We have been working closely with communities to identify challenges and implement initiatives to address them. At the beginning of the year, we held public engagement meetings to share a progress report on the mine’s Social and Labour Plan with communities around Gugulethu.

We also celebrated Global Recycling Day by organising community workshops and a cleanup campaign, emphasising the importance of keeping our environment clean. With winter now upon us, we recently launched a Winter Warmers campaign, providing blankets, socks, and beanies to elderly residents at various community centres in Bronkhorstspruit. 

As part of our health and safety commitments, we are driving various campaigns across all operations focusing on TB, HIV/AIDS, as well as issues related to gender-based violence and femicide. These ongoing campaigns aim to raise awareness and provide support to our employees. Most importantly, all our programmes serve as a constant reminder that sustainability matters.