Canyon Coal, a South African coal mining company, has shown its commitment to supporting local businesses by hosting a procurement workshop for over 350 entrepreneurs near its Khanye colliery in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng.
The workshop, which took place in November 2023 at the Bronkhorstspruit Sports Centre, was a response to the community’s request for more information about the mining operations and the potential business opportunities in the area.
The event featured a comprehensive presentation by Madhuva Mposi and Sabelo Kumalo from Canyon’s procurement division, who covered topics such as procurement principles, tips on compiling and submitting business proposals and conducting market research.
According to a report by Mining Review, the participants, who represented various sectors such as coal haulage, cleaning, catering, and machine hire, expressed their appreciation for the workshop and the insights they gained from it.
Solomon Phiri, the CEO of Money Cometh Financial Services, said the event was worthwhile and encouraged other small business owners to avail themselves when such engagements take place.
Lolo Mphuthi, a local entrepreneur, thanked Canyon for organizing the workshop and said she learned a lot about procurement in the mining industry.
Tom Pullen, the procurement manager of Canyon Coal, said local enterprises needed to have a full understanding of the Canyon business and its processes.
“We are pleased that the community is keen to engage on matters of procurement because this gives us a platform to share pivotal information that will help local enterprises submit proposals if business opportunities open up in the future,” he said.
Pullen added that Canyon Coal appoints companies that meet the necessary standards to ensure professionalism and safety in its operations. Interested service providers must go through a vetting process and comply with the relevant market pricing.
“This information session supports the company’s commitment to keep our processes as transparent and inclusive as possible,” he concluded.
Canyon Coal has established good working relationships with local suppliers near Khanye, who support its operations with a variety of services. The company also contributes to the social and economic development of the communities around its mines through various corporate social responsibility initiatives.
The procurement workshop was one of the ways that Canyon Coal demonstrated its vision of being a responsible and sustainable mining company that creates value for all its stakeholders.
