1. INITIATIVES AT ALEXKOR
FEMALE EMPOWERMENT
INITIATIVES AT ALEXKOR
PRESENTED BY
RAIN ZIHLANGU
09 MARCH 2005
1.1.1st slide – master slide

2. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF
THE RICHTERVELD
AFRICAN
COLOURED
INDIAN
WHITE
TOTAL
MALE
580
3917 10
632
5138
FEMALE
537
3852 5
592
4986
1117
7769 15
1223
10125
Source : Statistics South Africa

3. PERMANENT ALEXKOR EMPLOYEES
PER RACE & GENDER
55% 5%
17%
16% 6%
0.5%
W/M
W/F
C/M
C/F
A/M
A/F

4. ALEXKOR FEMALE EMPOWERMENT
OBJECTIVES
› Capacity Building
› Meaningful female participation in the local and mainstream
economy
› Alleviating poverty amongst marginalised females
› Prevention of abuse

5. CAPACITY BUILDING
√ Allocated 5 bursaries in mining related disciplines
√ Placed 6 female employees on mentorship
programmes
√ Engaged 3 females apprentices
√ Trained 3 females as heavy earthmoving machine
operators

6. EMPLOYEE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILES
Male
Female
Occupational Categories
African
Coloured
Indian
White
%Black
%White
Legislators, senior officials, managers 2 3 - 5
50%
Professionals 1
57%
43%
Technicians, associate Professionals 7 9
41%
59%
Clerks 13 4 16 11
67%
33%
Service and sales workers
78%
22%
Skilled agriculture and fishery workers
92% 8%
Craft and related trades workers 32
Plant & machine operators & assemblers 87 15 8
86%
14%
Elementary occupations 91
100% 0%
Apprentices and Section 18 Learners
91% 9%
TOTAL PERMANENT 25
233 72 68 22
Non-permanent employees
71%
29%
TOTAL 36
236 76 69 24

7. MEANINGFUL FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN THE LOCAL & MAINSTREAM ECONOMIES
◘ Supports creation of micro-businesses
◘ Awarding of shallow water and land mining concessions
subject to 50% female equity ownership
◘ Female applicants receive preference in employment
opportunities
◘ Elimination of barriers which impedes female career
progress in the organisation
◘ 10% Female employees in Management positions– FY
2008
◘ 2 Females employed as trainee diamond evaluators

8. ALLEVIATION OF PROVERTY AMONGST MARGINALISED FEMALES
♦ Support to the Alexkor Development Foundation in Job
creation projects
♦ Job creation projects in Alexander Bay (Coast Care / Eco-Africa /
Nama Riet)
♦ Bedrock sweeping operations
♦ ABT projects to achieve objectives of the broad-based Socio
Economic Empowerment Charter of the Mining Industry

9. PREVENTION OF ABUSE Introduced a Sexual Abuse Policy
Educated managers to identify abuse and to respond with
due objectivity
Appointment of a Social worker
Introduced an employee assistance programme
Challenge stereotype and prejudiced beliefs
Established a trauma centre on site

10. CHALLENGES FACING WOMEN AT WORK –
THE WAY FORWARD
► To address pay disparities
► Removal of subtle gender discrimination
► Assistance with removal of stress impacting negatively in
the work-place (Brunt of childcare etc.)
► To remove preconceptions on female ability and suitability

11. Thank
You