We are committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of our employees, contractors, their families and of the communities where we operate, through our values of zero harm and respect.

HIV/AIDS is a serious and debilitating disease that has widespread social and economic consequences within South Africa and in the communities where we operate. Given national statistics we estimate that about one out of five of our workforce is HIV positive, a risk to our business.

Our approach

We continue to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in a responsible, non-discriminatory and supportive manner and strive to minimise the social and economic implications within our business and within the GLC. Our strategic approach to managing HIV/AIDS is two-fold, firstly the prevention and secondly the treatment of the disease. Our approach is founded on the principles of confidentiality. Our HIV/AIDS policy, which was revised in 2009, provides an equitable and consistent approach to the management of HIV/AIDS, through awareness and prevention, management of the disease amongst those who are infected and support for them. Our awareness and prevention campaigns extend into the communities that host our operations. Through our membership of the ICMM and in conjunction with other companies we participate in the development of leading practices and industry benchmarking in health care in a drive to improve our health systems. In partnership with the IFC, we have initiatives on work place peer education training, community health education and home based care. In 2009, we have continued our partnership with global mining companies to finance the research and development of a new HIV therapeutic vaccine, VIR 201, which is in stage three of research and development.

Our performance

In 2009, 110 or 68% of our in service deaths were the result of AIDS. Although HIV/AIDS does represent a risk that will have to be managed on a continuing basis, we believe that the epidemic does not pose a significant threat to the long-term sustainability of our operations.

Testing, prevention and educational programmes

Free testing, education and awareness programmes are in place across the Company in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease, to eliminate the associated social stigma and to provide employees with sensitive, accurate and up to date information on risk reduction in their personal lives. These programmes take the form of Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT), mine induction programmes and ongoing awareness campaigns by peer educators. In 2009, 4,680 of our workforce participated in our VCT programmes, of which 13% were tested as HIV positive. To date, we have 380 active peer educators for the workforce, one for every 71 employees which exceeds our target of one peer educator for every 75 employees. In 2009, 206 active peer educators held 4,008 education sessions and numerous one on one meetings reaching over 78,000 people and have distributed over 700,000 condoms.

In addition to our robust workplace programme, we have intensive community testing, prevention and care programmes in place at our Marikana, Brakpan, and Limpopo operations. In 2009, 1,999 community members were counselled and tested for HIV/AIDS of which 18% tested positive, 14% of males and 22% of females. To date, we have 58 active home based carers trained in an intensive training programme of 69 days. Currently over 1,200 patients and 640 orphans are being cared for on a regular basis, with over 50,000 visits made in the past year. In total, 1,856 patients benefited from the home based care programme.

Treatment and support programmes

Our wellness programme is designed to cater for the physical and emotional needs of HIV positive employees. Once their CD4 T-lymphocyte count is below the acceptable limit, employees may join the ART programme, which is made available by the Company through the employee’s medical aid without additional cost. We have made a commitment to ensure that free ART is offered to the employee for life, regardless of whether or not they remain employed by the Company, this being particularly relevant during the recent restructuring and reorganisational processes.

In 2009, an additional 276 employees joined our wellness programme, totalling the active participation to 518 employees which is a 51% decrease since 2008. To date, we have 962 patients on ART, which is a 3% decrease from 2008. The reduction in the participation of both our wellness and ART programmes are partially as a result of the restructuring and reorganisational process and employees defaulting from the programme. Of concern to us, is the approximate 10% of patients who defaulted from ART on a monthly basis in 2009. Although the treatment is voluntary, we continuously strive to reduce defaulting through education and awareness.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is one of the leading opportunistic illnesses associated with HIV/AIDS. We have an effective tuberculosis control programme in place, in addition to targeted medical surveillance programmes. These programmes comprise early identification and appropriate treatment with quality drugs and lifestyle management through directly observed treatment, a World Health Organisation intervention to improve adherence to tuberculosis treatment. In 2009, the Company’s Tuberculosis Policy was reviewed and amended. We continue to be vigilant with the identification and treatment of extreme and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis through our tuberculosis control programme. In 2009, 472 of our employees were diagnosed with tuberculosis, which is an 11.4% decrease from 2008. Of the 472 cases, 374 cases were pulmonary tuberculosis and19 multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis is exhibiting an increasing trend in our workforce.

Tuberculosis

Design and build by Bray Leino Accessibility Terms of use Disclaimer Privacy statement