According to Anglo American Platinum, since the start of the company’s workplace Covid-19 vaccination programme in July, the company has vaccinated more than 16 000 employees and contractors with their first vaccine doses.
In supporting the Department of Health’s rollout of South Africa’s Covid vaccination programme, Anglo American Platinum is making it possible for over 40 000 employees and contractors to participate in its workplace vaccination programme. Anglo has also extended its programme to include the dependents of every employee and contractor. The company reports that over 3 000 employees and contractors have already received their second vaccine dose.
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 African workforce have consented to be vaccinated.”
The company has four main vaccination sites in the North West and Limpopo – Amandelbult, Mogalakwena Complex, Mototolo and Rustenburg. Over and above this, it has four satellite vaccination sites at its operations in these provinces.
The Anglo American Platinum WeCare Covid-19 lives and livelihoods programme has committed to the following goals:
- to push for 100% of its workforce to be educated and well-informed about vaccination,
- to offer the vaccine to 100% of its workforce,
- to enable 100% of its workforce to easily access available vaccines and follow-up support.
The company, together with government and labour, is hosting several vaccine days across its operations to help address vaccine hesitancy. At a recent drive at its Mogalakwena Complex, Anglo American Platinum vaccinated 450 people on the day and plans to vaccinate more employees and contractors at future drives, for example the plan was to vaccinate at least another 1 000 employees on 10 September at a vaccination drive at its Amandelbult operation. All sites are equipped with vaccination counselling staff that are available to address individual concerns, reports Anglo American Platinum.
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.
Dr Phophi Ramathuba, MEC of Health in the Limpopo province concludes: “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.”
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