The Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Pretoria prides itself in supplying industry with qualified graduates who will change the face of mining engineering. This is evident in the high quality of its Mining Engineering alumni, many of whom occupy prominent positions in local and international mining houses.

One of these is Peter Steenkamp, CEO of Harmony Gold, who addressed delegates at the 125^th annual general meeting of the Association of Mine Managers of South Africa on the importance of ethical leadership.

Steenkamp believes that ethical leadership (or the lack thereof) has never, in the history of our young democratic South Africa, been as visible or had such an impact on our country and society as it does today. Quoting the author of Act like a leader, think like a leader, Herminia Ibarra, “leadership… is aimed at creating change in what we do and how we do it, which is why leadership is required to work outside established goals, procedures and structures, and explaining to others why it is important to change…”

In short, leadership is a constant management of change. In today’s business environment, a lot of what we do is to understand which people to employ, what development they need and how to retain them. As CEO, Steenkamp has a responsibility to create an environment in which the entity’s employees are able to thrive. He also has a responsibility to invest in his employees to ensure that they are equipped to take on anything that life throws at them: whether during times of global pandemics such as COVID-19, the highs and lows of a commodity cycle or even a serious mine accident.

Steenkamp believes that, throughout the mining industry, and especially in South Africa, we are blessed with experienced and competent people. Recently, during COVID-19, we once again illustrated how agile and resilient South Africans can be. We are miners at our core – we understand ore bodies, how to break them and how to deliver the ore to the plant. In today’s world, extracting gold – or any other mineral or metal – is no longer enough. We are expected to do more. We need to know how to motivate teams, deal with diversity and truly listen – providing clear context to purpose, relating to people and persuading them to perform to achieve a common goal. As leaders, our responsibility extends to influencing not only our own workforce, but also the stakeholders we partner with – be that government, mining communities, trade unions or shareholders.

Dealing with the various stakeholders in the South African mining context requires strong leaders to steer our industry through ongoing change and challenges. At Harmony, in line with the company’s values of safety, accountability, achievement, being connected and honesty, we understand that the development of leadership skills is critical to not only transforming our company, but the economy as well. As mine managers, we have the same responsibilities.

To thrive in a country such as South Africa, you need to equip yourself and those working for you to become courageous, ethical leaders, across all levels, who are able to speak up, speak out and make integrated decisions that will make in a meaningful difference in South Africa.

The mining industry needs innovative and empowering leaders; leaders who are well equipped to manage change.

Some of the leadership wisdom that Steenkamp has accumulated during his more than 40 years in mining includes the following:

• Create a vision
• Create trust
• Create a sense of belonging among all
• Surround yourself with champions
• Be a good listener
• Build relationships
• Focus on quality and excellence
• Have sense of humour
• Do not lose sight of business principles

Steenkamp’s advice to other managers is therefore: Spend your time wisely Appreciate each day. Embrace change, as it offers many opportunities. You have been blessed with the skills and talents required to create a future for yourself and others. Create your own leadership journey. Invest in other people. In that way, we can create a country and an industry in which we can be proud to make a meaningful contribution.

About Peter Steenkamp

Peter Steenkamp was appointed CEO and Executive Director of Harmony Gold, South Africa’s largest gold producer, in January 2016. He has some 40 years’ experience in the mining industry, including as Senior Vice-President: Mining of Sasol Mining (Pty) Ltd, and executive positions at Harmony from 2003 to 2007, and at African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) and Pamodzi Gold. He graduated from the University of Pretoria (in 1985). He is a member and past president of the Association of Mine Managers of South Africa (AMMSA), and a member of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) and the South African Colliery Managers’ Association (SACMA).

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