Entire Annual Report - Anglo American Platinum

Chairman’s Statement" (continued)Chairman’s Statementfor skills development has been considerably enhanced through the acquisitionof the James Park Engineering Skills Training Centre in June 2000. TheCentre will play a pivotal role in skills development and hence in theGroup’s ability to achieve its business strategy, as reflected by its expansionprogramme, thereby realising its goal of creating value for stakeholders.A specific area of human resources development which has received, andwill continue to receive, attention is that of Employment Equity. Variousprogrammes, ranging from adult basic education to targeted skills developmentand mentoring, are aimed at significantly lifting the overall skills base ofemployees who have been disadvantaged through historical factors.Anglo Platinum continues to play a significant role in the improvement ofthe quality of life in the communities surrounding its operations throughvarious socio-economic development initiatives. These encompass educational,health, infrastructural and economic development (job creation) programmes.Mineral rightsDuring December 2000 Anglo Platinum entered into an agreement with theMinister of Minerals and Energy in terms of which Anglo Platinum wasgranted mineral leases (for 25 years, renewable for a further 25 years) overthose farms the Group intends mining on the Eastern Limb of the BushveldComplex. At the same time Anglo Platinum’s mineral rights to certain otherfarms on the Eastern Limb, which were also held in terms of the JointVenture Agreement with the former Lebowa State and which AngloPlatinum does not presently intend to mine, were relinquished.The agreement secures to Anglo Platinum on the Eastern Limb the mineralresources required for its production and expansion programmes for theforeseeable future.Black economic empowermentAnglo Platinum’s previously announced intention to promote theparticipation of Black empowerment interests in the platinum industry tooktangible form towards the close of August 2000 when MvelaphandaPlatinum (Pty) Ltd (Mvela) acquired from the Group a 17,5% interest inNortham Platinum Limited (Northam). This empowerment transaction wasfacilitated by Anglo American, which sold to Anglo Platinum the 13,3%interest in Northam that it had acquired as part of the unbundling of GoldFields of South Africa. As a result of this transaction and the sale by theANGLO PLATINUM remains committed to supporting andencouraging meaningful Black Economic Empowerment.18