The local mining industry is increasingly pressured to develop and implement a Social and Labour Plan (SLP) to sustain and promote employment, the advancement of employees as well as the socio-economic development in their communities, in order to prevent or lessen the negative social impacts of mining.
However, many media outlets are reporting a reality which is very different with numerous cases of communities in outrage over broken promises and stakeholders seeing very little transformation within the industry. Amendments to the MPRDA Regulations now require mining right holders to engage with Stakeholders before finalizing their SLPs for submission. These regulations also give communities the right to give input and comment on the implementation of the SLP.
An objective of the MPRDA is that the SLP must be an instrument to drive and support transformation and sustainable development. The SLP must address transformational structures, including Local Economic Development strategies, Skills Development initiatives and Employment Equity issues to facilitate socio-economic and workplace change and support sustainable development.
Transformation is not just a government initiative; it remains an economic imperative for all South African organizations and supports growth and development of the entire economy and the success of our mining industry. Please note, we do not assist with applying for mining rights.
This together with the demands of the SLP requires coordination across a wide variety of functions and careful planning and management to avoid fragmentation, maintain focus and ensure meeting the diverse demands of the market place.
It also demands legislative requirements and successful implementation which meet strategic requirements of the mine and the demands of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).
The landscape is further complicated by the Employment Equity Act and the BBBEE Act which must also be taken into account when developing and implementing the SLP.
Our 3 day workshop will focus on how mining companies can align their commitments to their employees and communities, strategies to ensure transformation and that will meet commitments to giving the communities what was promised. Mining companies need to align Social and Labour Plan Commitments with municipal Integrated Development Plans and undertake meaningful consultation with communities and other interested and affected parties. Mining companies also need to develop and implement the right monitoring and reporting processes for effectively managing their Social Labour Plan. Delegates will also benefit from other industry peers by sharing specific challenges and pitfalls during the day’s open forum workshop environment.