Kumba Iron awards star performers

These comprised 43 Achiever awards, 14 for Partnership, 15 for Safety, 6 for Sustainability and 10 for Innovation. The Gold Awards in the various categories went to Kolomela Mine in Postmasburg (Partnership) for the mine's exceptional productivity resulting in it exceeding the 2013 production target by 20%; the Value-in-Use iron ore testing facility and pilot plant in Pretoria (Safety) for going ten years without a single lost-time injury; the Kumba legal team (Sustainability) who negotiated the new supply agreement with ArcelorMittal SA; and the Laskas Technicians team from Sishen Mine in Kathu (Innovation) for installing an anti-rollback system on all the mine's ultra-class haul trucks to improve safety.

An individual and team were also selected per category to represent Kumba at the global Anglo American Applaud Awards that are held every two years.

In addition to the teams who won Gold, the following individuals were selected: Keaobaka Matilo, Local Economic Development (LED) Officer at Kolomela Mine, (Partnership) for his role in extending Grade R programmes to public schools in the Northern Cape; Franco Lewis, a safety officer at Kolomela Mine, (Safety) for his role in ensuring full compliance with safety legislation and company standards; Gosego Lekgetho, former LED Officer at Kolomela Mine, (Sustainability) for spearheading the construction of a primary healthcare facility in Postmasburg; and Johan de Jager (Innovation), a welder from Sishen Mine, for coming up with four different innovations (alpha projects) to improve the production and safety of shift workers.

As is Kumba tradition, the Laurel Award winners do not get cash prizes, but get to draw the names of charities to receive the prize money on their behalf. In total R360,000 was donated to 12 charities (R30,000 each) at the Laurel Awards event.

"In this way, we not only celebrate the achievements of our employees, but many of those less fortunate than us get to share in this celebration, said Kumba CEO Norman Mbazima. "In doing this we are truly in the words of our mission 'people making a difference, in a company making a difference'".