Anglo American Platinum has vaccinated more than 16 000 employees and contractors with their first vaccine doses since the start of the company’s workplace vaccination programme in July.
This milestone represents the significant progress the Anglo American group has made in supporting the Department of Health’s rollout of South Africa’s vaccination programme. More than 40 000 employees and contractors can participate in the workplace vaccination programme and the company aims to have as much as possible of its workforce who are able to get vaccinated to do so.
Over 3 000 employees and contractors have also received their second vaccine dose. In addition to its four main vaccination sites in the North West and Limpopo – Amandelbult, Mogalakwena Complex, Mototolo and Rustenburg – Anglo American Platinum also has an additional four satellite vaccination sites at its operations in these provinces. The company has also extended its workplace vaccination programme to include the dependents of every employee and contractor.
Natascha Viljoen, CEO of Anglo American Platinum, said:
“Vaccines are at the heart of the fight against Covid-19. They are our best course of protection against severe hospitalisation and deaths. We are pleased that close to over 50% of our South Africa workforce have consented to be vaccinated. As part of our WeCare Covid-19 lives and livelihoods programme, we are committed to using all the appropriate means to lessen the impact of Covid-19 on our people, their families and communities.”
The Anglo American group’s robust workplace vaccination programme has clear goals, which it is firmly committed to achieving.
These goals are for:
- 100% of its workforce to be educated and well-informed about vaccination.
- 100% of its workforce to be offered the vaccine; and
- 100% of its workforce enabled to easily access available vaccines and follow-up support.
To drive further uptake of vaccines and to address vaccine hesitancy, Anglo American Platinum has successfully hosted a number of vaccine days, in partnership with government and labour, across its operations. At its most recent drive at its Mogalakwena Complex, Anglo American Platinum vaccinated 450 people on the day and plans to vaccinate at least 1 000 employees today at a vaccination drive at its Amandelbult operation that will be attended by government and organised labour.
All sites are equipped with vaccination counselling staff that are available to address individual concerns, including vaccine hesitancy.
Dr Phophi Ramathuba, MEC of Health in the Limpopo province said:
“The Limpopo province continues to lead the way in South Africa’s vaccination drive. This has been achieved by partnering with companies like Anglo American Platinum and the broader mining industry, who are working to make vaccines accessible. Our commitment to vaccinate our people is unwavering because we know that vaccines save lives. We encourage everyone to take up the opportunity to get vaccinated as soon as they can.”
Through the Anglo American Tripartite Initiative, a longstanding health and safety collaboration with organised labour and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, three of the unions represented at Anglo American Platinum’s operations – the Association for Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), and the United Association of South Africa (UASA) – are supporting the company’s vaccination efforts through employee mobilisation and education.
“We will only achieve our national goal of reaching population immunity through Covid-19 vaccines by working collaboratively. We are grateful that organised labour has been supportive of our efforts to keep our workforce safe and healthy,” says Viljoen.
“Similar partnerships with traditional authorities, community leaders, NGOs and the faith community will help us vaccinate more people faster – and we will do everything possible to ensure that vaccines are offered and accessible.”