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Located in the coalfields of Mpumalanga, SAEC includes four collieries and three processing plants, producing energy coal for the domestic and export market.
The South Africa Energy Coal (SAEC) operations are located near the towns of eMalahleni (previously known as Witbank) and Middelburg, in the coalfields of Mpumalanga. Coal mining has long been part of this region, with the name eMalahleni translating to ‘place of coal’. On 30 April 2018, SAEC became a stand-alone business to be managed separately from the rest of the South32 Group.
SAEC includes four coal mining operations, Khutala Colliery, Klipspruit Colliery, Middelburg Colliery and the Wolvekrans Colliery, as well as three processing plants, producing energy coal for the domestic and export market.
The Khutala Colliery is an underground bord and pillar operation while the Klipspruit, Middelburg and Wolvekrans collieries are opencast mines using dragline, as well as truck and shovel operations, to extract coal.
South32 owns 92 per cent of South Africa Energy Coal, with the remaining eight per cent held by a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment consortium, led by Phembani Holdings. We will seek to increase the local ownership of SAEC, consistent with our commitment to South Africa’s economic transformation.
We have partnered with the Endangered Wildlife Trust, and together we have worked on a number of initiatives that work for the community and the environment.
See case studyWe have seen an incredible amount of change in South Africa since we started operating here, and we’ve done our best to bring about positive change as well.
We are working hard to make a meaningful contribution to the social and economic development of the country and we are committed to South Africa’s National Transformation Agenda.
We are doing this by:
Together with the people of the Mpumalanga, we develop plans to help improve local lives.
Our Coal mining operations have both full time and volunteer Emergency Response Teams.
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SAEC has helped thousands of local children
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We've awarded a core mining contract to a 100 per cent black owned company.
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We’ve created a Regional Wellness Committee.
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Kgabi started in the role of President South Africa Energy Coal on 30 April 2018. Prior to this he was Vice President Commercial for South32, where he was responsible for Supply, Energy and Logistics Strategy and other Commercial activities for the Africa region. In previous roles Kgabi served as VP Operations East for Coal South Africa and Head of Integrated Operations and General Manager Processing for Coal. He has more than 18 years of experience in the mining industry.
