Donkerhoek’s dust buster Xolani plays his part

Water Bowser Operator | Xolani Maisela

Dust on mine sites is a prevalent problem that poses a risk to the health of workers, impacts negatively on the surrounding environment, and can significantly reduce the lifespan of mining machinery. It can damage even the most high-tech of equipment and technologies. Therefore, it is crucial to effectively reduce dust on a continuous basis.

Xolani Maisela, a Water Bowser Operator working in Kangra’s Pit C mining area, is playing an important role in suppressing dust emissions. He is from the local Donkerhoek community which hasn't had a lot of people work at Kangra over the years, as it is predominantly a farming community with people lacking the required skills to be eligible to work at the mine.

“It means a lot for me, my family, and my community to be able to work on the mine because it means I no longer have to go and look for a job somewhere else. It is good to be able to work near my home,” says Xolani.

He explains that normally people from his community would have to go further away to find work, even as far as other provinces. “This is something that the community has wanted for a long time to be able to work here at Kangra and I am thankful that I have been given the required training in order to be able to work here,” states Xolani.

He started working at the mine in Pit C in February 2021, after receiving training from Menar Mining Services on how to operate and maintain the water browser.

“I enjoy what I do and take great pride in my work and am learning something new all the time,” Xolani highlights. He adds that in time he hopes to learn how to operate more machines and aims to someday become a multi-skilled operator.