Maloma a beacon of hope for emaSwati
His Majesty King Mswati III has lauded Maloma Colliery for its unwavering commitment and for ‘putting its money where its mouth is’ when it comes to supporting community projects in the area in which it operates, and in greater Eswatini.
Maloma Mine has a robust Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme and community development interventions to which the company spends about E500 million annually for the benefit of the three Chiefdoms in which it operates.
Maloma Mine is deeply rooted in the three host communities in which it operates being the Chiefdoms of the Mamba, Dlamini and Mngomezulu. The entire Swati nation also benefits from the operations of Shaft 1 of the mine. The population of the three chiefdoms is estimated to be about 100, 000 people.
Speaking during the official commissioning of Maloma Mine, His Majesty said the company has ably demonstrated that it cares for emaSwati and is dedicated to improving the welfare of the communities in the area.
“We have seen that Maloma Mine understands the importance of the surrounding communities for the success of its business. The examples of the success of the partnership are there for all to see and are felt here and across the country,” the King said. “Through its community upliftment activities, Maloma Mine continues to ensure that the communities are empowered to be selfsustainable and motivated to continue to grow for the duration of the mine’s life cycle and beyond.” His Majesty noted that Maloma Mine has given a new lease of life to the Lubombo and Shiselweni regions and continues to be an inspiring beacon of hope for all emaSwati.
He noted that Maloma Mine also had plans for business expansion which will make the company bigger, more profitable and create more jobs for emaSwati.
“This is a very significant investment that confirms the confidence that domestic and international investors have in the country. Maloma Mine and the numerous investors who have set up their operations in the country have become our ambassadors to the world about the attractiveness of the foreign direct investment.”
Some of the areas of community development that Maloma Mine has facilitated and provided for the communities include employment opportunities, physical infrastructure, and skills development.
The physical infrastructure includes roads, bridges, electricity connections, health services, access to clean water, markets for goods and services for local SMMEs and entrepreneurs, tourism, and opportunities for the hospitality sector.
“Indeed, Maloma Mine impacts positively on rural development through socio-economic opportunities that will eventually match what is in the urban areas. Community members will no longer have to travel long distances to access public services. This is in line with our ongoing efforts of decentralisation of services,” His Majesty said.
Embraced Communities
The King said he was pleased that Maloma Mine has embraced the communities in which it operates.
“This is an example that other investors and developers should emulate when they set up operations in the communities across Eswatini. They should strive to embrace the way of life, the culture and economic behaviours of the community members they find in the areas in which they set up their businesses,” His Majesty said.
“This is crucial in maintaining peace, harmony and a good working relationship between the communities and the investors. In that way, a working balance is struck between the pursuit of business and profit and the interests of the community members.”
Meanwhile, since its inception, Maloma Colliery Limited has prioritised supporting Government efforts to reduce, and ultimately eradicate poverty.
“We will continue to support businesses such as Maloma Mine through policies, and the creation of a conducive atmosphere for investment setting up and expansion. The activities of Maloma Mine are in line with our National Development Strategy and the various programmes for economic growth.”
In another matter, Maloma Mine prides itself in being more than just a mining business and strongly believes that empowering local communities in which it operates and making a positive impact on the entire country is central to its purpose.
Safe operations
Along with its commitments to safe operations and environmental stewardship, Maloma Colliery Limited also places a high priority on caring for the people in the communities it serves.
The company invests three per cent of its net profit into the three host communities through its forward-looking corporate social investment programme.
The strategy is a product of extensive and comprehensive engagement with the traditional structures and community members in the three host chiefdoms. The CSI committee is headed by representatives of the Chiefs which is Maloma Colliery Limited’s way of keeping the community well informed, fully involved, and ultimately having ownership and responsibility in all the development programmes.
The pillars of the CSI programme are as follows:
• Education
• Healthcare
• Water and Sanitation
• Infrastructure
• Agriculture and agro-processing
• Enterprise and Supplier
“We also partner with stakeholders in all our operations, including Government, nongovernmental governmental organisations (NGOs) and community organisations, to identify opportunities to deliver high impact and sustainable community development programmes that will continue beyond the life of the mine,” says Jabulile Shabangu the CEO of Maloma Colliery Limited.
“Worth emphasising is that the investments we make in the host communities show that we take our social responsibility seriously. We aim to positively impact these communities by empowering citizens, fostering business opportunities, and fuelling economic growth that benefits all stakeholders.”
“We want to ensure that the communities are trained to be self-sustainable and motivated to continue growing, despite the activities of the mine.”