KEY POINTS
- Joburg Indaba Hall of Fame honoured two mining leaders.
- Roger Baxter earned recognition for his industry advocacy and courtroom achievements.
- Peter Steenkamp received accolades for driving Harmony Gold’s strategic growth.
Launched in 2016 to recognize key individuals who have significantly influenced the South African mining industry, the Joburg Indaba Mining Hall of Fame has inducted two new members.
Joburg Indaba mining hall of fame adds new leaders
The new inductees are Harmony Gold CEO and executive director, Peter Steenkamp. He has 30 years of experience in the mining industry.
Southern Palladium chairperson Roger Baxter is also an inductee. He is the founding chairperson of the World Platinum Investment Council. Baxter brings more than 30 years of advocacy and strategy expertise and previously served as CEO of the Minerals Council South Afric. Both have been recognized for their significant contributions to their respective fields. Baxter
The induction ceremony occurred on Oct. 1, ahead of the 12th Joburg Indaba on Oct. 2-3. The event was attended by Business Unity South Africa president Mxolisi Mgojo, Tronox director Sipho Nkosi, and Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.
The Joburg Indaba is an industry platform for the mining sector. It features mining CEOs, government officials, investors, and experts. They debate critical issues facing the mining sector in South Africa. Discussions focus on current challenges and opportunities in the industry.
They also discuss commodity performance, sector trends, energy challenges, investment operations, environmental, social and governance topics, modernization, and health and safety.
Baxter became CEO of the Chamber of Mines, now known as the Minerals Council South Africa, in 2014, after serving as the organization’s senior economist.
Roger Baxter’s advocacy and courtroom victories remembered
In 2021, the Minerals Council achieved a significant victory for South Africa’s investment climate by winning a High Court judgment that settled the “once-empowered, always empowered” dispute.
The Joburg Indaba also noted that, under Baxter’s leadership, the Minerals Council established a junior mining desk. Today, Baxter serves as chairperson of a palladium project.
The company attributes its success partly to Harmony’s acquisition of the Mponeng and Moab Khotsong mines from AngloGold Ashanti.
Peter Steenkamp’s strategic leadership at Harmony recognized
“Before those deals, Steenkamp faced pressure. Scepticism was high following his first presentation to analysts in 2015 when he pledged to boost Harmony’s gold production by 50% to 1.5 million ounces annually. Many questioned whether the man who oversaw the troubled Pamodzi Gold could revive Harmony. His previous success as CEO of Sasol Mining and his role as Harmony’s COO were mere footnotes to critics,” Joburg Indaba said.
“Steenkamp also implemented an offshore strategy long sought by Harmony. While the large Papua New Guinea project Wafi Golpu is yet to come to fruition, the acquisition of Eva Copper in Australia gives Harmony both geographic and commodity diversity.
Although the project is yet to be built, for now, Steenkamp enters the Mining Hall of Fame as the leader who transformed Harmony’s reputation, emerging as the industry’s M&A king,” the Joburg Indaba noted.
