Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility
West Wits is committed to creating a positive social impact in the communities where we operate. Our approach combines meaningful community engagement, responsible procurement, and ongoing collaboration with local stakeholders to ensure long-term, shared benefits.
Communities at the Centre of Responsible Mining
Communities are central to sustainable mining in South Africa. In this interview, Executive Director and Head of Corporate Affairs Tozama Kulati Siwisa shares how West Wits is aligning community impact with operational progress.
Local Economic Development
Through our Local Economic Development (LED) Programme, we work in partnership with the City of Johannesburg to host community ward forums. These forums provide a structured space for dialogue, ensuring residents are actively engaged and directly benefit from opportunities created by our projects.
A key focus is local procurement. West Wits prioritises suppliers from a growing Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) database, helping to build sustainable local enterprises. Our Social & Labour Plan (SLP) further strengthens this support by addressing community needs in a transparent and structured way.
Enterprise and Supplier Development Food Vendor Project Launch
West Wits launched its Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) Food Vendor Project at Qala Shallows, marking another important step in supporting sustainable local economic participation. The initiative provides selected local entrepreneurs with professionally equipped food-vendor facilities directly linked to mining activity at the operation. Infrastructure preparations, inductions, and compliance processes are being implemented in line with the requirements of West Wits and the City of Johannesburg as part of the Company’s broader commitment to enterprise development and community upliftment.
West Wits’ ESG Leadership Recognised
Tozama Kulati Siwisa, Executive Director at West Wits MLI and Head of Corporate Affairs, was named the winner of the Rising Star Award at the 2025 Australia-Africa Minerals & Energy Group (AAMEG) Awards, held during the Africa Down Under Conference in Perth.
These prestigious awards recognise Africa’s ESG leaders — mining professionals who go above and beyond for their communities, companies, and the industry.
Tozama has been at the heart of some of West Wits’ proudest milestones:
- Securing the Mining Right and Water Use Licence for Qala Shallows
- Uniting government, communities and law enforcement to tackle illegal mining in the Witwatersrand Basin
- Turning risk into opportunity and challenge into trust
Tozama leads with empathy, diplomacy, and vision. She is not only shaping West Wits’ future but also inspiring a new generation of women in mining across Africa.