Today he is a production supervisor at a mine.
And it’s all thanks through a partnership between Zizwe Opencast Mining and the Baphalane Community Trust.
Every year, over 500 young people in the Baphalane community in Limpopo, are given a chance to better their lives.
Anglo American Platinum’s senior social performance manager at Amandelbult, Tshepo Kgasago, said that the successful partnership has so far proven that communities can benefit from core business activities and contracts.
The local contractors we have assisted through our training programmes are now building houses for orphans and child-headed families, as part of our programme to improve living conditions for vulnerable people.
The programme is part of Anglo American Social Way, a project to address inclusive socio-economic challenges.
“They are really inspiring, and we encourage them to persevere,” Kgasago added.
Trevor Ramokoka (28), a resident who was empowered by the partnership between Zizwe Opencast Mining and the Baphalane Community Trust, told Daily Sun that ever since he started working for them in 2016 he has never looked back.
Ramokoka, a production supervisor at Zizwe Batlase Open Cast Mining, completed his matric in 2009 and then successfully applied for an Anglo American Platinum bursary.
After completing his studies, he was employed.
“My life is better now, I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for this partnership,” Trevor said.
Kgasago said they train over 500 young people every season.
“We want to equip people with the skills to stand on their own feet. From our training programmes alone, we assist over 500 young people at a time,” Kgasago said.
Anglo American Platinum’s broader work on skills development provides opportunities for 18 to 35-year-old young unemployed people so that they can form part of the workforce in local mining projects such as this one.
“We train welders so they can work in the community and start their own businesses. We also offer bursaries to youth to further their education and other study opportunities for adults.”