30 Mar 2015

BCL Limited managing director, Mr Daniel Mahupela, says the robust mining industry will not be possible without solid leadership.

Speaking during the BCL leadership development programme graduation ceremony recently, Mr Mahupela said BCL Limited embarked to build leaders that were steadfast, as part of Polaris II strategy to sustain BCL Limited to beyond 2020.

He said the success of the strategy required a leadership team with a value system consistent with the ideals of a robust mining enterprise. He added that leaders must reinvent themselves to make a difference in the business place.

For his part, BOCCIM president, Mr Lokwalo Mosienyane noted that most businesses went down because of unsuitable leadership, adding that good leadership was a cornerstone of a success business.

He said at BOCCIM they take a keen interest in skills development and they celebrate attainment of skills. Mr Mosienyane also said BCL Limited was calling for transforming the organisation into a culture of high performance, employee engagement and commitment.

"You now have the awareness, understanding and skills needed to take BCL through its transformational path of being just a mine on the verge of closure a few years ago to a competent and truly diversified mining and resource company,” he said. Mr Mosienyane  urged the graduates to demonstrate the leadership skills acquired into practice. He added that mining was not everything, but that without mining, everything was nothing.

He said through the leadership programme, BCL contributed to the building of a society free from errors and reliable economic sector. From the University of Johannesburg, professor Theo Veldsman congratulated graduates for earning their qualification and also encouraged them to demonstrate their leadership skills with passion and courage. He said leadership was about the future.

Mr Veldsman also said leaders must have spirits, hearts and heads to persevere and to bring a change in a business. He said leaders must lead with hands and feet to fulfill their purpose. Ms Boitumelo Kopano, a graduate and best student, said the future of BCL could be shaped through its leadership, and that the leadership programme provided hope for such possibility.

Ms Kopano said efficiency in the workplace could improve when leaders were able to fulfill their functional roles effectively to achieve optimal performance of others. She said as leaders they must have the ability to communicate effectively and manage conflicts even when they were under pressure to achieve efficiency. ENDS