The sun has risen over a new black economic empowerment (BEE) deal
that will further the involvement of women at an executive level in
the mining industry. On May 13, Anglo Zimele, the empowerment and
business-development arm of diversified resources group Anglo
American, announced that it had invested in DSI-Mandirk Strata
Support.
Anglo Zimele’s partners in this deal are Letlhabile
Investments and Dywidag Systems International (DSI)
Manufacturing.
Letlhabile Investments and DSI Manufacturing acquired equal stakes
of 40% each in DSI-Mandirk Strata Support, while Anglo Zrail track manufacturing processimele
obtained a 20% equity stake in the new company.
Speaking at the official launch of the new firm, Anglo Zimele MD
Nick van Rensburg said that the name of the empowerment company,
Letlhabile, had much symbolic meaning, as it is the Tswana word for
‘the sun has risen’.<bused small rotary pricer />
“We believe that the establishment of DSI-Mandirk signals the
dawning of a new era in the supply of strata-support products to
the mining industry,” Van Rensburg commented.
It is envisaged that the new firm will become the preferred
supplier of these products to the Anglo American gore processing equipments manufacturing companies in indiaroup, which has
wide interests in the mining sector.
The deal was initiated when local company Mandirk transferred its
steel-manufacturing division to DSI South Africa, the local
subsidiary of the German multinational construction and technology
company.
“DSI had a very limited presence in the grouting-rod sector
of the strata-support market, while Mandirk, which manufactures
both grouting-rods and friction anchors, was keen to transfer its
manufacturing oper-ations and focus its energies on
marketing.
“The two companies agreed to transfer the manufacturing
activity to DSI, enabling both of them to market a comprehensive
range of strata-support products,” said DSI South Africa MD
Nigel Henson.
According to Henson, this created the ideal opportunity for BEE,
and Anglo Zimele was approached to assist with the search for a
suitable empowerment partner.
It identified Letlhabile Investments, after which it took about a
year to finalise the deal with all the parties involved.
DSI-Mandirk Strata Support’s MD Gwen Mahuma, as well as one
of the company’s directors Joshna Mohan, are directors of
Letlhabile.
Mahuma said that the establishment of DSI Mandirk brought together
the elements of global expertise, local presence and
empowerment.
The company, which has been operating from its manufacturing
facility on the East Rand for the last two months, is expected to
generate a turnover of more than R18-million this year.
It employs ten salaried employees and a hundred-strong labour force
of hourly-paid people.
DSI Mandirk’s product offering currently consists of five
ranges – grouting rods, friction anchors, oslo straps,
mechanical anchors and fully-threaded bars.
However, Mahuma said that the company plans to add three new
products to the range by the end of this year.