Alumni from the University of Pretoria’s Department of Mining Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, together with Head of Department, Prof Ronny Webber-Youngman, took part in an online discussion with the University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Tawana Kupe, on 7 July 2021. This event formed part of the Department’s 60th anniversary celebration.

The panel featured Peter Steenkamp, Chief Executive Officer of Harmony Gold, Nozipho Mashinini-Dlamini, Technical Services Manager at Thungela Resources, André Joubert, Chief Executive of the Ferrous Division of African Rainbow Minerals, Henry Laas, Chief Executive Officer of Murray & Roberts, and Tarusha Moonsamy, Engagement and Project Manager of McKinsey and Company. The topic of the conversation was the role of leadership in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in mining and related industries.

According to Prof Webber Youngman, the Department has identified a need to develop leadership skills in its students as early as undergraduate level. This is essential as mining industries are becoming all the more dynamic with the advent of autonomous workforces, which will require people who can lead effectively.

The panellists agreed that an increased emphasis on leadership skills will help individuals working in mining and related industries to cope better with the demands of the high-pressure and stress-related environment that characterises the mining industry. Steenkamp said that, to excel in the mining space, the environment needs individuals who are both capable leaders and who are tech-savvy. “At the core, we are engineers. We need to be up to speed with cutting-edge technology. It is equally important to develop skills as a leader, and the best way to do that is through experience, leadership studies and mentorship. Leadership is about the ability to create followers.”

Laas, whose company, Murray & Roberts, sponsors the Department’s Mining Engineering Leadership Academy, said that it is vital for graduates entering the mining industry to be able to develop leadership skills in others, and to put them into practice where they work. Joubert concurred. “Over the past decade, mining productivity has decreased by 8%,” he said. “However, the focus should not be on technology, but on culture, leadership development and upscaling employees. This process will ensure a safer, healthier environment in mining industries. The 4IR will enable us to develop new operating models with real information to make quick decisions. It will also help us turn research into globally competitive programmes.”

In the view of Mashinini-Dlamini, automation has been of benefit to women entering the industry. “Mechanisation has been part of our journey for many years. In the past years, digitalisation and automation have levelled the playing field and stopped it from being only about physical capacity, but about mental capability as well, which was a big plus for women joining the industry. Autonomous equipment also makes it a lot safer for women entering the industry.”

Moonsamy is in agreement. “The 4IR has created more roles and opportunities for women to excel,” she said. “Looking forward into the future, I think women should adapt and embrace the changes that the 4IR is bringing.”

Prof Webber-Youngman concluded by remarking on the fact that quality leadership in the mining and related industries will be the driving force in eradicating poverty, unemployment and inequality, which are threatening the sustainability of the sector.

To view the conversation, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZL7Oh5n4Zk