Imagine a future where the communities we touch flourish long after the last bit of ore is extracted. At Rhovan, that’s not just a vision, it’s the driving force behind our deep commitment to community investment.
We see ourselves not just as miners, but as partners in progress, working hand-in-hand with our neighbours to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Our goal? To build strong, resilient societies that can thrive for generations to come, with access to quality education, reliable healthcare, and a vibrant local economy brimming with opportunity.
This is the sustainable future we’re building, together.
The new Bethanie Clinic (which replaced the outdated original Bethanie Clinic) was a joint Social Labour Plan (SLP) project between Rhovan and the Department of Health of the North West Province (DoHNWP). The new clinic cost R28 million as was built by local contractor Biz Africa.
The construction process creates business and job opportunities for SMMEs. The Clinic is now managed by the DoHNWP, but Rhovan undertakes all the ongoing maintenance and gardening work.
Healthcare services are now provided for 12 hours a day rather than 8, and in 2020, Rhovan made a R20 million donation of dental and medical equipment.
During the pandemic, Rhovan helped keep community members safe by providing PPE, sanitizers, sanitizer stands and surgical masks. We also donated these to learners, Bethanie Police Station, Tribal Authority Offices and staff and patients at the Clinic. Rhovan also donated food parcels to 900 needy families in our host communities of Bethanie (300), Modikoe (150), Berseba (150), Makolokwe (150) and Maumong (150).
The BBM community area is a water-scarce area. To help relieve water stress, we have drilled 18 successful boreholes and tested the water to make sure it is safe for people. We are also working with Rustenburg Local Municipality on a project to access water supplies from Kortbegrip Dam, and we have invested R20 million in this project. We have also installed water tanks at Lerothodi High School, with solar powered pumps to fill them. Our toilet infrastructure programme has identified the schools with the greatest need, and renovating and upgrading toilet facilities at Lerothodi High School and Mamogale Segale Primary School, to help create healthier learning environments.
Our annual Careers Exposition gives learners the opportunity to learn more about careers in the mining sector and show them the range of roles that exist in what is one of South Africa’s most important industries.
In partnership with the Department of Education of North West Province (DoENWP), we constructed two classrooms at Dimapo Primary School, close to Rhovan. Rhovan also assigned an engineering team to design, build, and install a roof at Mamogale Segale Primary School and improve the facility for learners. We were proud to be part of the solution to this problem at the school.
Rhovan also donated two Grade R classrooms to Makolokwe Primary School, about 10km from the mine, and two more at Mamogale Segale Primary School to provide learners with a solid learning foundation for future success.
At Pansdrift Primary School, where most of the learners are the children of Glencore Rhovan employees, we built two extra classrooms to accommodate extra learners and to make the learning environment more enjoyable.
Building thriving communities goes beyond strong social supports and a healthy environment. It also requires a robust local economy that empowers people to reach their full potential.
At Rhovan, we understand this critical link – that’s why we’re dedicated to fostering economic development in the communities we partner with.
Additional community success stories include livestock donations to farmers, donations of school shoes, supplying sanitary products (to alleviate period poverty), a school computer programme to give learners the opportunity to interact with modern IT technology, and the development of the Bethanie Sports Field.
At Rhovan, we’re driven by a vision of a future powered by clean energy and a minimized environmental impact – it’s that vision that has driven us to constructing a 25-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at our Rhovan mine.
This isn’t just about powering our own operations. This solar plant represents a significant step towards a more sustainable future.
Once operational, the plant will generate enough clean energy to supply roughly 30% of Rhovan's annual needs, displacing grid-supplied electricity and leading to an estimated reduction of over 48,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions per year. That's a significant contribution to combating climate change!
Vanadium, a key mineral we produce, plays a vital role in the development of clean energy technologies like wind turbines and energy storage solutions. By harnessing solar power, we're not only reducing our own footprint but also showcasing the potential of a low-carbon future powered by the very products we mine.
Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond emissions reduction. The solar project was designed with responsible sourcing principles in mind. The Bakwena-Ba-Magopa Community, our neighbours in South Africa's Northwest province, were involved in the consultation and planning process, with local small and medium-sized enterprises involved in the construction and installation process. This project is about building a more sustainable future, together.
This solar initiative represents a multi-faceted approach. It strengthens Rhovan’s long-term viability, minimizes our environmental impact, and fosters economic development within the communities we call home.
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