Kevin Steyn, Underground shaft manager
Kevin Steyn (centre), underground shaft manager at Thermal Coal’s New Denmark colliery, briefs newcomers to the mine
Kevin Steyn is an underground shaft manager at Thermal Coal’s New Denmark Colliery in Standerton, Mpumalanga, and joined the company in 2001, after completing a BSc in Engineering.
He has gone on to obtain his mine manager’s certificate and professional engineering status, and has worked in various positions at a number of the company’s South African coal mining operations.
In 2007, Kevin undertook technical visits to Australia and the United States as well as a review of safety practices at a longwall mine in China. He was also seconded to the Thermal Coal’s Trend mine in Canada where he established the technical services and drilling and blasting departments.
Now back on South African soil, he says: "Anglo American has coached me to become a coal mining specialist, having given me experience in bord and pillar, strip, open pit and longwall mining in four major coal producing areas of the world. This is an exciting industry in which I intend having a long and successful career."
Thando Zondi, Mining engineer
Thando Zondi, mining engineer at Thermal Coal’s Kleinkopje colliery
Thando Zondi, who works as a mining engineer at Thermal Coal’s Kleinkopje colliery, came into the industry as a company bursar, completing her Bsc Honours degree in mining engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand.
She started her training at Greenside colliery and obtained her underground blasting ticket and her mine manager’s certificate of competency. While at Greenside, she progressed through the ranks, from miner to shift overseer and acting mine captain.
In 2008, she participated in the company’s graduate mobility programme, which gave her an opportunity to gain experience at Dawson mine in Australia. Here she worked as a truck and shovel engineer and gained valuable exposure to the planning process. Today she is a dragline mine overseer responsible for two mining pits at Kleinkopje.
"Mentorship has played a huge role in my career. Being surrounded by people with a vast amount of experience has helped me immensely with my decision-making and development. My career in Anglo has been great owing to the support I have received from both my colleagues and subordinates and the exposure I have gained," says Thando.