Sibanye, Wits collaborate to make face shields

21st August 2020 By: Tasneem Bulbulia - Senior Contributing Editor Online

JSE-listed Sibanye-Stillwater and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) have collaborated to produce face shields for frontline healthcare workers in communities around the miner's South African operations and in the Eastern Cape province.

The face shields are being made by students and community volunteers on behalf of the Wits School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering, in a partnership with Sibanye and Wits’ DigiMine.

In response to the Covid-19 challenges, Sibanye donated a laser cutter and material to the Digital Makerspace team and the Wits TMG Makerspace, as well as the Wits Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct to produce personal protective equipment. 

To date, volunteers have produced 6 700 shields from Wits' Braamfontein campus at no cost, which have been distributed to Sibanye’s mines and among community members.

This project has been used as a training platform to enable the transfer of skills.

The volunteers are working on producing face shields from recycled plastic to reduce the impact on the environment.

Sibanye will distribute 3 700 face shields to health facilities near its operations in Gauteng, the Free State and the North West.