The board and executive management of precious metals mining company Sibanye-Stillwater this month unanimously elected to contribute a third of their remuneration, for the next three months, to the national Solidarity Fund, established to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the most vulnerable members of South African society.

This decision, Sibanye-Stillwater explained in a media release to Engineering News & Mining Weekly, followed the commitment by the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President David Mabuza, Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers to donate a third of their salaries, for the next three months, to the Solidarity Fund.

Sibanye-Stillwater, which employs more than 80 000 people in South Africa, is also a significant employer in the US and in Southern Africa, where it also supports local communities and local businesses.

The board and executive management of the Johannesburg- and New York-listed company, headed by CEO Neal Froneman, made the statement in solidarity with their employees and other South Africans to heed the plea for additional support in the national fight against Covid-19.

On March 23, Ramaphosa announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown in response to the escalating Covid-19 crisis, which was later extended by a further two-week period to the end of April.

After placing its South African gold and platinum group metals (PGMs) operations on care and maintenance in compliance with the lockdown, Sibanye-Stillwater subsequently obtained approval for limited mining and processing to resume at its South African operations, subject to the implementation of agreed protocols to address Covid-19-related health and safety risks.

At its PGM operations in the US, nonessential growth capital expenditure has also been deferred in order to reduce personnel numbers in compliance with local health and safety requirements.

The Solidarity Fund, the release stated, aimed to prevent the spread of the disease in South Africa by supporting measures to “flatten the curve” and lower infection rates.

Fund activities would be reported in a transparent manner and the fund’s administration was being done by professional managers and private-sector organisations under fund chairperson Gloria Serobe, who was appointed by Ramaphosa.