INTERVIEW A catalyst for
INTERVIEW A catalyst for future investment Glencore CEO Japie Fullard describes the role played by the Steelpoort Mining Supply Park in stimulating and supporting local enterprises. What is the extent of Glencore’s operations in Limpopo? Glencore Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd, through the Glencore Merafe Chrome Venture, has extensive operations in Limpopo, including the Lion Ferrochrome Smelter and three chrome mines, namely Thorncliffe, Magareng and Helena mines. Japie Fullard, Glencore Alloys CEO BIOGRAPHY Having started his career as an apprentice electrician, Japie studied for an engineering qualification while working. He furthered his studies in Mining Engineering and obtained his Mine Manager’s Certificate of Competency. He was Chief Engineer and manager of several mines before joining the Alloys Mining Division as General Manager, rising to Head of Mining. He has been CEO of Glencore Alloys since 2019. As a past president of the South African Coal Engineering Association, he now serves on the board of Minerals Council South Africa. Please describe Glencore’s enterprise development programme. Glencore Alloys has established three local enterprise and supplier incubation hubs around its operations in North West and Limpopo provinces. We firmly believe in the localisation of the economy by providing free business training to emerging entrepreneurs at these local hubs. We capacitate suppliers to position themselves to take advantage of business opportunities in the industry while developing enterprises further to allow them to pursue independent business ventures outside the mining industry. By way of example, an average of 250 emerging entrepreneurs visit the Steelpoort Hub each month. How did the Glencore Mining Supply Park originate? In 2011 Glencore (then Xstrata South Africa) decided to construct a Mining Supply Park close to the Lion Ferrochrome Smelter in Steelpoort. Our key objective was to streamline the supply chain to Glencore’s ferrochrome smelters and chrome operations in the area by housing key suppliers to such operations. This in turn would create jobs and stimulate the local economy for the benefit of the communities surrounding our operations. What role will the Mining Supply Park play in the planned Fetakgomo-Tubatse Special Economic Zone? The ongoing role of the Mining Supply Park in creating jobs and supporting local enterprises to serve the surrounding smelters and mines with the supply of goods and services should be a good example of what can be achieved in the Steelpoort area and further create a good catalyst for future investment. Is there a planned private-public partnership envisioned between Glencore and the provincial government or the FTSEZ SPV? Glencore strives to make a valued contribution to social progress through the production and marketing of commodities that provide the LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2022/23 28
The Mining Supply Park provides existing infrastructure around which a Special Economic Zone can grow. basic building blocks for development and payments to government such as taxes and royalties, provision of employment and business partner opportunities and through social development in the communities where we operate. Should the opportunity arise, and subject to its internal policies and procedures, Glencore will most certainly assess opportunities to partner with the provincial government or the FTSEZ SPV. We believe it may be a good mechanism to making a valued contribution toward the social progress of the local communities in the area. Are there projects on which you currently cooperate with government? Glencore is proud to fund the electrification of 1 800 households while also doing extensive upgrades and extensions to the supply of potable water to households around its operations in Steelpoort. Our partnership with the Department of Education entails vast expansion at a local primary school. We have also partnered with mining peers to fund the construction of a new dual concrete bridge to replace the steel bridge at Ga Malekane, which is soon to kick off. This is in addition to our extensive social and labour plan projects and obligations in Limpopo. What good things could potentially come from the FTSEZ? We believe that the FTSEZ will stimulate business in the region and we would expect significant investments to follow, resulting in the further industrialisation of the region. This will have a multiplier effect for local enterprises and employment. ■ The launch of the Glencore Alloys Local Enterprise Development Hub. 29 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2022/23
