South African gold producer Sibanye Gold donated R25-million to the universities of Johannesburg (UJ) and the Witwatersrand (Wits) towards mining and engineering education at an official handover ceremony held last month at its training academy in Westonaria.

The donation, which will be shared equally between the universities, will go towards capacity building, facility upgrades and student support in the mining and engineering faculties.

Sibanye Gold expects to spend R325-million on education and training in 2014. This includes the spend dedicated to employee bursaries and communities, as well as the R14-million dedicated to supporting students who are studying in disciplines that are core to the mining industry.

Of the 164 UJ and Wits students who have directly benefited from this programme, 134 are currently permanent employees of Sibanye Gold.

The gold producer has also committed to provide vacation work for students from both universities to gain practical experience in their field of study.

Sibanye Gold believes that its progress is intertwined with and depends on the development of its employees and host communities, with its approach being to go beyond compliance.

A total of 1 220 employees and 593 community members participated in the group’s adult basic education and training programme in 2013.

In addition, 1 354 community members have been trained in portable skills such as carpentry, welding and cutting, basic computer skills and plumbing.

Sibanye Gold CEO Neal Frone-man says Sibanye remains resolute that mining should benefit all stakeholders and create a legacy that can endure long after the existing mines have reached the end of their productive lives.

“Our dream is to facilitate the emergence of engineers from communities around our mines, such as Bekkersdal, Khutsong and Matjhabeng, because we know that education will not only provide us with possible future employees but will also help us break the cycle of poverty and thereby eliminate all the social ills associated with it,” he says.