Marikana and Welkom are building sustainable futures with support from Sibanye-Stillwater. Through partnerships that promote entrepreneurship, food security, and environmental responsibility, these communities are creating opportunities for long-term growth—ensuring that life after mining is filled with possibility and prosperity.
Explore their Stories
Explore
their Stories
Dianne Van Der Walt,
Director of Thrive
Dianne teaches communities how to create biological compost, rejuvenating disused mining land into fertile soil. Through Thrive and Sibanye-Stillwater’s support, locals learn to rehabilitate farmland, ensuring sustainable food production. This knowledge empowers them to build a legacy that lasts and once-degraded land can become a source of life again.
Raserola Mashamaite,
Director of Eco Bakery
Marikana’s bakery was born from a need—affordable, high-quality bread for the community. With Sibanye-Stillwater’s support, unemployed residents built a thriving business. Bicycle deliveries and local partnerships ensure fresh bread reaches people daily. More than just food, the bakery represents opportunity, dignity, and the power of local enterprise to uplift lives.
Simon Leshoai,
Programme Manager at Mineworkers Development Agency
Marikana’s strength lies in its people, like Simon, who are eager to learn and lead. With support from Sibanye-Stillwater, initiatives like the Agri-Hub and training programmes are boosting livelihoods, reducing crime, and strengthening community ties. This in turn ensures Marikana grows beyond mining, with renewed hope and opportunity for all.
Vuyo Motsie,
Director & Deputy Chairperson of Eco Transformers
Eco transformers in every sense, Vuyo and his 15 shareholders are rewriting what community enterprise looks like. Through composting, they’ve created a business rooted in purpose and resilience. What connects them is a vision: a shared commitment to working with the earth, creating income, and restoring a sense of pride.
Sipelele Ndungane,
Director & Stakeholder Liaison at Eco Transformers
Sipelele sees wealth where others see waste. In partnership with Sibanye-Stillwater and Thrive, she and her team convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost, revitalising land for food production. This community-led model blends environmental care with economic opportunity, offering a practical, people-powered solution that’s redefining what a thriving economy looks like.
As Seen On 30 Channels Throughout Africa
The Gallery
Marikana and Welkom are proving that communities can grow beyond mining. In Marikana, the Sibanye-Stillwater-supported Agri-Hub has helped local farmers build successful businesses. A 2,000-layer chicken facility, food tunnels, and a packhouse supply fresh produce to the Afrika Tikkun Youth Centre, ensuring that over 320 children receive nutritious meals every day. At the same time, the Eco-Bakery provides affordable, high-quality bread to the community. Established through a collaboration between Sibanye-Stillwater, the Mineworkers Development Agency, and local suppliers, the bakery produces more than 100 loaves daily. Using bicycle deliveries and local business partnerships, it has grown into a vital source of jobs and economic stability.
In Welkom, the Eco-Transformers project is changing how people view waste. Once a dumping site, the area now serves as a recycling and composting hub. With training from Thrive, community members turn organic waste into nutrient-rich compost, regenerating land and supporting local food production. This cooperative of 15 shareholders sells organic, artisanal compost to retailers, demonstrating the economic value of sustainability.
Through these projects, Sibanye-Stillwater is supporting Marikana and Welkom in building self-sufficient, resilient communities that will continue to grow long after mining has ended.
