Contractor becomes Menar Mining Services employee with reopening

Controller | Zimbili Precious Simelane

Since 2016, Zimbili Precious Simelane has been working at Kangra through mining contractor companies. However, in February 2021, she was appointed as a Controller by Menar Mining Services.

Her job is to provide efficient, accurate, and timely entry of mining data into the mining logistics system. Zimbili’s management of the load and haul fleet is crucial to maximise ore delivery to the run of mine stockpiles and send waste to waste dumps. She also assists shift supervisors with the planning and coordination of current and oncoming shifts.

Zimbili was retrenched by the mining contractor she was working for in February 2020 as her contract had come to an end, which was just a month before the mine went into care and maintenance in March 2020 owing to the COVID-19 lockdown.

 “It has been challenging working for multiple contractors over the years at the mine, but I am hopeful that working for Menar Mining Services will offer the stability of employment,” she enthuses.

Zimbili is from the local Driefontein community and has opencast and underground experience having previously served, as an administrator and underground breakdown controller.

She explains that Kangra is very important to the local communities as it provides work to many in the local community, and it is hard to find a job in this area. “When the mine was on care and maintenance it was extremely difficult for many families, whose only breadwinner is often employed on the mine,” Zimbili points out.

“I am very blessed to be back at Kangra and am very appreciative to Kangra and Menar management for restarting operations, as are many people in the local communities,” she concludes.