A group of 11 employees from the Crown Gold Recoveries and Ergo operations were rewarded for their hard work on the Junior Leadership Programme (JLP) when they received their certificates and awards from Mr Niel Pretorius at a cocktail function held at the Crown Recreation club recently.
The JLP is a yearlong leadership programme that is offered to employees who are carefully selected based on their potential to fill future managerial and leadership positions in the organisation. The programme covers the following modules:
• Personal Productivity
• Leadership
• Fundamentals of Management
• Fundamental of Economics and Business finance
• Introduction to Project Management
In addressing the group Mr Niel Pretorius spoke about how far the organisation had come since the early days of mining as portrayed by the photographs and memorabilia exhibited at the Crown Recreation Club. In tracing the development of DRDGold SA to where it is today, Mr Pretorius spoke about what he believes is central to the values upheld by the company today, namely dignity. He said that if someone is treated with dignity that person will be honest in all his or her dealings, treat others in a safe and respectable manner and be part of a motivated and happy workforce. Mr Pretorius said that a programme such as the JLP encourages and builds the dignity of those who attend it. He encouraged the graduates from the programme to take what they have learned and pass this on to others in a dignified manner.
In welcoming the many guests from the operations and the Corporate Head Office, the programme facilitator Piet Pistorius, outlined the requirements of the programme including the support that was necessary from management of the operations to make the programme succeed. Piet spoke about the need to ensure that there is a positive return on investment on programmes like the JLP because of the considerable time and money spent on the programme. Each learner on the programme had to embark on an Impact Project on completion of his or her course. These impact projects realized a collective saving and or revenue generation of R1.4m per month – a truly remarkable result!
The following learners received special awards:
• Mr Leonard Nxumalo Top Student
• Mrs Tessa Wilkins Best Impact Project
• Mr Simon Eccles Most Improved Student
The above candidates all received a trophy, certificate and a cheque for their excellent achievements.
