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FACE TO FACE WITH
ASPASA
20
MODERN QUARRYING
January - February 2015
A
spasa ended 2014 with a
very successful breakfast
meeting for the major-
ity of member CEOs, which
included company own-
ers. The cream of the crop in industry got
together in December to network and to
hear at first-hand what Aspasa is doing for
the aggregate sector.
Pienaar confirms that the gathering
went well, and that it will be held again
towards the end of this year. “We had a
favourable response and excellent feed-
back, and next time we’ll ask for input
from the CEOs as to where they believe
we need to focus and to discuss different
issues.”
He says the industry needs to under-
stand the changing dynamics of a younger
workforce, changing union landscapes
and ever-evolving legislative frameworks.
“This makes mining in Southern Africa a
challenging proposition and something
that is not for the feint-hearted.”
Pienaar believes that the time has
come for industry heads to step up to the
plate and steer the industry towards posi-
tive growth. More emphasis needs to be
placed on training and education to make
BEE easier and also to uplift the skills of
quarry workers. Communities surround-
ing operations should also be dealt with
in a positive way to ensure that they are
uplifted in terms of job creation and fur-
ther opportunities. “By putting effort into
the communities our employees stem
from, it stands to reason that the work-
force will be more positive towards the
companies they work for.”
He cites Marikana as an example
where the mining industry was caught by
surprise. “Mine bosses were unaware of
a host of problems within communities
surrounding the area, and were out of
touch with the workers that served them.
Perhaps with better foresight on how
these events developed, we can make
sure that similar events don’t occur in the
future. As employers, we have the ability
to positively influence the lives of people
in our surroundings, and that is a power-
ful tool in running a successful business.”
The perception that government and
Nico Pienaar, Aspasa director (courtesy Aspasa).
Regional Aspasa chairperson Letisha van den
Berg (courtesy Aspasa).
MQ’s
Dale Kelly has been closely associated with the Aggregate &
Sand Producer’s Association of Southern Africa (Aspasa) for over two
decades, from the early days when Sir Rupert Bromley was chairman,
and then with Aspasa director Nico Pienaar when he took over the
reins many years ago. What has become more evident than ever, is
that the country’s mining landscape is changing rapidly, with aggre-
gate and sand mining operations required to adapt and meet future
challenges head-on, if the industry is to grow and prosper; some of
these challenges are discussed below.
The changing face
of aggregate mining
trade unions have all the power and the
employees have nothing is incorrect.
“Nothing can be further from the truth as
we are the ones who are creating the jobs
and providing a living for our workers.