Graduates and bursaries

Kim-Leigh Faria

Head of CEO Office

Kim-Leigh Faria is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in business science, specialising in finance, from the University of Cape Town.

Her career journey at Anglo American Platinum began in 2016 when she joined the business as part of the BLAST (Building Leaders and Shaping Talent) graduate programme. Her first role was as a business development coordinator at Zimele, where she assisted in evaluating and developing projects and strategic partnerships.

Thereafter, she took up an opportunity as an analyst in the Commodity Research team in London, where she assisted teams in preparing annual commodity pricing outlooks. Before wrapping up the graduate programme and being promoted to the role of senior specialist: strategy, she was part of the team as a strategy and business development analyst.

During her time in the strategy and business development team, she was also seconded to AP Ventures, one of Anglo American Platinum’s market development initiatives. Kim was an associate responsible for deal origination, structuring and execution, as well as leading on opportunity mapping in specific segments and supporting AP Ventures’ research into the hydrogen value chain.

Thereafter, she joined the CEO Office in Anglo American Platinum as principal technical assistant to the CEO. She was promoted to the Head of the CEO Office in December 2023, where she supports and enables the CEO to focus on operational and business issues by managing an efficient CEO Office support function.

Kim’s biggest highlight in her journey is the reality of having had people champion her career in the business, which has afforded her opportunities for development and progression. In her current role, she is afforded a full picture of the business and can truly see tangible progress being made in delivering on our purpose.

A typical day in Kim’s life ranges from back-to-back meetings on various topics while also trying to progress work and meet deadlines, to a full schedule of engagements at

industry events such as the Mining Indaba. “What I like about my job is that each day is different, and I am continuously learning,” Kim says.

One thing most people don’t know about Kim, and would be surprised to learn, is that she loves baking – although this wouldn’t come as a surprise to her close colleagues as she often brings baked goods for them.

Kiravani Pillay

Metallurgical technical engineer

Kiravani Pillay is a metallurgical technical engineer with a passion for science and leadership. She holds a BSc (Hons) in chemical engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand.

She joined Platinum as a bursar in 2015 when she was in her second year of university. With a keen eye for innovation and a commitment to excellence, Kiravani has successfully tackled complex engineering challenges throughout her career. Her analytical mindset and problem-solving abilities have allowed her to optimise processes, enhance product quality and drive operational efficiency in various projects from her days as a graduate to her current position as a qualified engineer.

Her quest for professional growth and knowledge led her to pursue a part-time MEng in engineering management from the University of Stellenbosch. This advanced programme equipped her with a holistic understanding of engineering principles, project management techniques and strategic leadership skills.

Kiravani consistently seeks opportunities to enhance her expertise in metallurgical engineering, while also developing expertise in people management. “I am a product of a mine and everything that I have learnt and that I know has been gained through knowledge sharing from teams onsite,” she says.

Her interdisciplinary approach empowers her to bridge the gap between technical proficiency and organisational success. She believes that holding oneself and a team accountable for their work is crucial to maintaining productivity, achieving goals, and fostering a positive work culture. “I believe in a collaborative approach where each team member feels motivated, inspired, and valued. Planning and delegation are important to keeping everyone accountable,” she says.

Lesiba Mashishi

Chemistry graduate

Lesiba is from Ga-Chaba, one of our host communities around Mogalakwena Complex, and he joined Platinum in 2018 as a bursary recipient. He completed a BSc (Hons) in chemical sciences at the University of Johannesburg and after graduating in 2022, he joined the graduate programme as a chemist at Anglo American Platinum’s Precious Metal Refinery (PMR) in Rustenburg.

He is currently studying towards a master’s degree in environmental science at the University of Johannesburg. Mashishi chose his initial field of study because almost all biological and non-biological processes are best understood and explained through chemistry and growing up in close proximity to Mogalakwena Complex ignited his curiosity.

He said: “I often wondered what the huge piles of soil and rock deposited to the north and southeast of my community were. They are as big as mountains! I was also fascinated by the trucks as big as double-storey houses that I saw being operated. This fuelled my passion to learn more about mining and all the processes involved.”

As a chemist, Lesiba ensures that the analytical data produced through monitoring processes, such as concentrating and refining of platinum group metals (PGMs), are of a high quality.

A day in his life could involve troubleshooting of analytical instruments and making sure

that the breakdown is resolved as quickly and safely as possible so that the laboratory can achieve its turn-around time.

His career highlight so far comes as a result of the support he received from the Anglo American Early Talent team, and being able to give back to the community he comes from through his project aimed at helping young people better map out their future careers.

Mashishi said: “It is a privilege to be part of a company whose purpose is to re-imagine mining to improve people’s lives. Anglo American Platinum is a resourceful organisation that fulfils its promises, which is also one of my values.”

An active citizen with a strong passion for social issues, Lesiba said: “I want to help bring opportunities to communities and eradicate the idea that some young people have developed: the idea that there is no point in working hard because it will not make a difference.” He argues that hard work does make a difference, and his journey proves it!

Lesiba’s advice to young people who are thinking of joining the industry is: “Young professionals in our organisation already set their best foot forward when it comes to being great future leaders. Our company is constantly in need of input on how to improve people’s lives. That’s a good place to start. Young professionals can identify a need around them and intervene where best possible. By so doing, we will create a better South Africa with improved living conditions for everyone.”

Makhanana Baloyi

Laboratory technician

Makhanana obtained a BSc (Hons) in agriculture and soil science from the University of Venda in 2017. In 2018, while looking for a job, a friend told her about Anglo American Platinum’s cadet process applications. She applied and, fortunately, her application was successful, with Polokwane Smelter offering her a trainee job as a laboratory processor.

Through her dedication and hard work, she was promoted in June 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. She says that despite all the hurdles she encountered during the pandemic, she remained calm and focused on excelling in her job. Makhanana is anchored by her favourite verse from the bible – Romans 8:28 – which says, “and we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Makhanana credits her journey at Anglo American Platinum to her colleagues appreciating her potential, and she is thankful for the kindness her colleagues have shown towards her. She believes that her colleagues live by the company’s values, which she sees in action every day in the care and respect, as well as collaboration among colleagues.

She adds that she will never forget that, on the day of her interview, one employee saw her sitting at the reception looking nervous; he smiled and said to her, “don’t worry, you are going to get this job!” – and she did.

Speaking about what a typical workday looks like, Makhanana says Mondays are the most hectic day of the week for her because she normally does equipment checks, which involve testing a jaw crusher, two mortar splitters and three mills for quality control and quality assurance.

Makhanana’s favourite book is The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma, and two key lessons she took from this book are:

The only limits in your life are those that you set yourself. In other words, we must think in a way that serves us, instead of a way that holds us back.
The secret of happiness is simple: find out what you truly love to do and then direct all your energy towards doing it. Once you do this, abundance will flow into your life and all your desires will be filled with ease and grace.

Thonic Sihlangu

Metallurgist

Thonic Sihlangu’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of seizing opportunities and staying committed to achieving one’s goals. His journey at Anglo American Platinum began eight years ago when he joined Thusang Metallurgical Consulting Company as a graduate metallurgist for the Anglo Converter Plant (ACP). Although this company provided work experience without the guarantee of employment, Thonic persevered and successfully completed its graduate programme in December 2016. This achievement led to his permanent appointment as a processor at ACP.

He graduated with a BTech degree, majoring in mineral processing and extractive metallurgy, from Vaal University of Technology in 2015. Driven by his ambition to become a process metallurgist, Thonic took advantage of Anglo American Platinum’s education assistance policy and applied for financial support. He then studied part-time and gained a BSc honours degree in metallurgy from the University of Pretoria in 2019. In 2020, he was appointed as a process supervisor.

Inspired by the expertise and leadership of the professionals in the company who started their journeys through the graduate development programme, Thonic decided to apply for it too. He completed the programme in May 2023 and was subsequently appointed as a process metallurgist at Amandelbult Complex.

His role includes monitoring and advising the teams on the settings of operational parameters to optimise performance, streamlining of audit processes regularly to ensure conformance of standards, and assisting during breakdowns, emergencies, or poor plant performances.

Working for Anglo American Platinum is a career highlight and a dream come true for Thonic because it set him on the path to becoming a metallurgist.

“The programme’s graduation ceremony was the most emotional moment of my journey. it was the culmination of all the hard work and dedication I had put into the programme over the course of two-and-a-half years. Receiving the certificate was a symbol of my accomplishments and marked the fulfilment of an opportunity that I had been longing for throughout my five years at joining Anglo American Platinum,” he says.

The fact that decisions Thonic make daily have a tangible impact on the business is a responsibility and a privilege that he does not take for granted.

Asked to share his three biggest wishes, Thonic stated the following:

“I wish every graduate would know that it is okay to accept a job that you are overqualified for at the time. What is important is earning valuable experience while working towards your dream.”
“In an ideal world, I wish young people would have patience throughout their career journeys. Sometimes, success does not unfold as we expect. Disappointment can be part of the journey.”
“I wish the youth understood the value of mentorship and support throughout their careers. I don’t think I would have made it this far if I did not receive support from my family and colleagues, as well as the mentorship I gained through the graduate programme,” he said.

Tswelopele Tsotsotso

Senior commercial manager

Tswelopele joined Anglo American Platinum in July 2021. He is currently working as senior commercial manager, a role he assumed after having served as a commercial manager: financial planning and analysis, at Amandelbult. His career trajectory has been underpinned by curiosity and the desire to face challenges head on. He holds a BCom accounting (2010) and postgraduate degree in accounting (2011), both from the University of Cape Town, and he is also a qualified chartered accountant.

He finds his role as a senior commercial manager both exciting and challenging. Tswelopele is responsible for all commercial decisions onsite, with specific focus on three broad areas of cost management and accountability for commercial business support to the operation, governance, as well as financial reporting for onsite users and head office stakeholders.

Prior to the role he currently occupies, Tswelopele started as part of the BLAST (Building Leaders and Shaping Talent) graduate programme in 2015, after which he moved to other opportunities within the business. He has held various local and international positions including finance analyst at Kumba Iron Ore, performance reporting analyst at Anglo American Chile, executive technical assistant to the executive head of Anglo American in South Africa, as well as corporate finance specialist at Anglo American South Africa.

“My biggest career highlight at Anglo American was having the opportunity to work in Chile and immerse myself in a new language and culture while advancing my career,” he says. He was also part of the transaction team that managed the transition of Anglo American Coal into Thungela Resources.

A typical day for Tswelopele entails managing stakeholders – including suppliers, trade unions, senior management, and head office colleagues – and their expectations with regard to finance and governance processes.

Talking about practices that Anglo American apply to create a psychologically safe space for graduates to stay at the organisation and thrive in their roles, Tswelopele says: “There are multiple platforms that echo our values and culture. Also, our senior leaders set the tone to enable the environment for graduates to be successful.”