‘Without Maloma Mine I would be nothing, now the future is bright’
Vuyo Ndzabandzaba (26) would probably be looking after the family's livestock and wallowing in despair on a road leading nowhere.
Having completed high school in 2018, this young man from Sigwe, in the Ndunay'thini are in Lavumisa responded to an advert for career apprenticeship from Maloma Colliery Limited - and his life was changed forever.
A qualified Mechanical Engineer today, Ndzabandzaba has the world as his stage and he is making a difference to his family and community,
The apprenticeship programme is worth over E500, 000, which would be impossible for many families to pay. Maloma has proved to be a true friend of emaSwati.
Maloma offers school leavers the chance to develop crucial skills, particularly in STEM careers through a life changing apprenticeship programme.
The programme runs for 5 years and includes theory and practical lessons in the various STEM fields.
The apprentices also rotate between departments and sections at Maloma mine, in the process gaining experience on a wide range of equipment, and working with various mentors. At the end of the programme quality and qualified artisans are produced.
The programme is endorsed by internationally recognised qualifications and accreditation institutions, hence the certificates open any doors around the world.
What more, having started the course in 2019, Vuyo successfully completed the skills journey in 2023 and he is now fully employed as a Mechanical Engineer by Maloma mine.
"I am eternally grateful to Maloma mine, especially our Group Chairman Mr Michelo Shakantu and the entire team for the selflessness they extended to me through this golden opportunity that changed my life and made me a better person. Without Maloma mine I would not be here. I thank God Almighty for Maloma mine and what it is doing to uplift the lives of emaSwati," says Vuyo.
"By God's grace my apprentice journey has not only shaped who I am, but has deeply influenced my work, career, even my family and friends.
His words are echoed by Seluliwe Mamba, a Rock Engineering trainee at Maloma Mine, who studied BSc Engineering
(Mining) at Wits University, in South Africa.
“I am greatful to the company for giving me the opportunity to upskill myself and gain experience outside of
Maloma. This will assist in improving the business as my experience will come in handy,” Mamba says.
“The highly skilled job opportunities that the apprenticeships programme of Maloma mine leads to are exactly the sort of jobs we need more of in our country.” She also highlighted the fact that the apprenticeship programme of Maloma mine enables the youths to work and learn valuable skills at the same time.
Maloma Colliery has also entered into a strategic partnership with the Directorate of Industrial and Vocational Training (DIVT) to provide grade testing services for the youths in the area, who have acquired potable skills on an informal basis.
"Developing skills for the future and empowering young people for the highly-demanding world of work and entrepreneurship is our goal," says Khulile Dlamini, the Community Development Officer Maloma Colliery Limited.
"Creating jobs, generating economic opportunities and boosting the skills of emaSwati in the three communities in which we operate, and across the entire country are at the heart of our business," she says.
"Growing our skills pipeline is an incredibly important part of playing our role in support of national efforts of economic growth."
Some of the benefits of the Maloma mine apprenticeship programme include:
• Ability to work all over the world with high earning potential
• Constant opportunity to upskill and transition into adjacent fields
• Practical experience with the latest equipment and technology in one's field
In another matter, Maloma mine has also partnered with the Directorate of Industrial and Vocational Training (DIVT) to provide grade testing services for youths in the three chiefdoms, who have acquired potable skills on an informal basis.
Over 70 youths from the three host communities have recently gone through the grade testing. Some have been employed at the mega billion Mpakeni Dam project.
In the partnership, the DIVT offers grade testing services and turns the young people into professionals. The DIVT provides these services from the mine’s premises to ensure easy access for the beneficiaries.
They include young people who may have all along been assisting hands to bricklayers, welders, plumbers, carpenters or electricians and may have acquired viable skills to go out on their own and apply these skills.
It would be costly for these young people to register their activities with the grade testing ans qualifications institutions. That is why Maloma, as part of giving back to the communities it operates in, has entered into the partnership with the DIVT to pay for logistics and facilitate that officials visit the communities for on site grade testing. Vusi Mamba, the representative for the Mngomezulu chiefdom, thanked Maloma mine for opening the window of opportunity for the young people to obtain their formal qualifications through the grade testing. "We are grateful to Maloma mine for assisting in creating a bright future for our youths. The younths have received this opportunity witn botn hands as it empowers tnem to be tbe masters of their own destiny and to create jobs for their peers," Mamba said.
"These young people have the basic skills and some of them have put these skills to good use. However, they need to go through proper grade testing procedures, hence the partnership with the DIVT.”
Maloma mine contributes to the logistics and costs such as allowances, stipends, and nutritional needs of the officials of the DIVT. The costs of the grade testing itself are borne by the DIVT.
In another matter, Maloma Colliery adopted and supports the Lulakeni Vocational Training Centre, which is located within reach of the three host communities, to coordinate the training and facilitate the apprenticeship for the youths of the areas. There are no entry requirements, and no fees are charged for the training received there.
The centre functions as the administrative hub for the three host communities and is responsible for registering the youths. The mine provides the financial resources for the training and skills impartation to the youth by the organisation.