Glencore Partners With The National Prosecuting Authority To Hand Over South Africa’s First Built For Purpose Thuthuzela Care Centre
Glencore Partners With The National Prosecuting Authority To Hand Over South Africa’s First Built For Purpose Thuthuzela Care Centre. Glencore Ferroalloys has recently supported the growth of a local, black, youth-owned SMME by providing much-needed machinery. Lion Smelter handed over a front-end loader to Mmereki Project and Construction as part of its Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) programme. This programme aims to empower SMMEs in the communities near Glencore’s operations so that they can create job opportunities, particularly for unemployed youth.
After partnering with Mmereki on a recent community project, Lion ran a needs analysis to ensure that the team was fully supported. They also identified gaps in the business that could hinder Mmereki’s ability to fulfil its obligations. These discussions revealed that the business only had half the machinery it needed to meet its responsibilities and that it planned to rent the remaining machines it required. Machine rental for any local SMME comes at a tremendous cost and may threaten the continuity of the business if it starts eating into profits.
As a result, the Lion team encouraged Mmereki to apply for support through its ESD programme. Together with Glencore’s CSI department, the decision was also made to equip the business with its very own front-end loader. Lion, like its other operations, believes in its its local businesses, and wants to help them be successful. One of its goals is to empower businesses so they can place their profits back into their pockets and create more jobs for their communities. Mmereki co-founders Bridget and Evens Malapane were thrilled with the donation and thanked Glencore for supporting them, guiding them, and understanding the different challenges they face.
“This is very special to us as a youth-owned business,” says Evens. “An investment of this size will enable us to focus on seeking more business opportunities, which means hiring more people and having a tangible impact on the standard of living for the people in our community. By Glencore empowering us, we are able to empower those around us.”
