DRDGOLD’s head of finance Riaan Davel believes where there is mine waste, there is an opportunity for environmental rehabilitation. For the oldest mining company listed on the JSE, it’s about encouraging mining companies around the world to be more sustainable.
Mining giant DRDGOLD’s approach to environmental management is part of its broader commitment to sustainable development, according to its CFO Riaan Davel.
“Our model is a blueprint for sustainable development and value overlap,” Riaan explains. “Our purpose statement is that we want to reverse the environmental legacy of mining and improve the quality of life for the people and communities around our operations.”
DRD is the oldest mining company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The mining company’s story is closely tied to Johannesburg’s, the ‘City of Gold’, one of the youngest cities in the world founded in 1886 after gold was struck.
“There are not many places in the world that have more than 150 years of concentrated gold mining in an approximate 150km radius,” says Riaan.
“DRD was listed on the JSE in 1895, so we were part of creating some of the negative legacy associated with mining. Our focus is now different; it's to say, ‘What role do we play now when it comes to land restoration and rolling back the environmental legacy of mining in this city?’ That’s our purpose and part of our story.”
Riaan says it can be difficult to transfer knowledge in mining, because the people who have built up that knowledge are so busy with executing 24 hours a day. However, for Riaan, the ultimate goal is succession.
“Once you've been in a role for a long time, you get good at what you do but also comfortable; I'm a supporter of bringing someone else in who thinks differently into a model that already exists. It takes time, even if it's on a temporary basis because you need to sit with that person and transition them,” he explains.
“We see it across the organisation, at some point retirement comes up and people with a lot of experience and knowledge have to leave – someone else needs to be able to step into the role and run with it.”
‘Find someone to sit in your chair’
To illustrate this, Riaan went on a three-week solo road trip. He set a rule for himself of two to three hours maximum on the road per day, and he plotted a journey down to Stillbaai and Sedgefield, stopping where people don't normally stop. He stayed in B&Bs and spent time alone relaxing, completely separating himself from work. He took a two-month break a couple of years ago, too. He could do this because he’s a big believer in delegation and allowing others to step up.
“Nothing stops in a treadmill environment, and it got to me, so I decided I needed a longer break than normal,” says Riaan. “We discussed it, planned it for a few months, and it worked wonders for me. It also forced the team to work without me. The beauty of that is all I needed to do was final reviews when I returned, and everyone saw that it was possible. We have such talented people and if you give them that opportunity, things keep going without you and you can then see you've shared enough of your knowledge. I encourage CFOs to find ways for someone to sit in your chair, even for a short period as a learning opportunity.”
For Riaan, his latest break was magic. He’d never been to the Valley of Desolation in the Karoo, and he could just sit and take in millions of years of evolution. “I was a proper tourist and did a lot of walking, when I got to Stillbaai and Sedgefield. I did every hiking trail I could find. I loved walking next to the ocean for hours on end. It was a refreshing experience, and it changed my way of thinking; I'm trying to incorporate that into my work life. You must take breaks and plan for that. Work is one thing, but there's a different world out there as well.”
Riaan hopes that DRD’s business model encourages mining companies around the world to be more sustainable. “This isn't only Joburg-specific. Anywhere in the world where there is mine waste, there is an opportunity for environmental rehabilitation, hopefully that can change the perception of mining,” he said.
“The world needs minerals, we can make a difference and not be the bad guys; once we leave an area, we have restored the environment and not laid it to waste. We want to show it’s possible and that mining activities can be managed in a responsible way.”
