In May 2023, Nkwe Platinum, Zijin Mining’s subsidiary in South Africa, handed over its community water supply project. "Water pipelines now reach our doorsteps, bringing much-needed ‘relief’ to the villagers and making life easier. Community members are very happy," said the chief of the Komane tribe with excitement.

Like many poor villages in Africa, communities near Nkwe’s Garatau Mine, a platinum group metals project, faced major challenges in accessing clean drinking water. For generations, villagers had no clean water and had to spend money on water, worsening their already difficult economic situation. Those who could not afford to buy water had to drink river water.

Zijin Mining's Nkwe project cares about the well-being of local communities. With South Africa grappling with water shortages and increasing cholera cases caused by unclean drinking water, the project acted to address the communities’ need for clean water.

In May 2021, Nkwe launched a community water supply project, investing over 12 million Rand over two years. The project involved building and renovating 31 wells, installing 52 water tanks, and laying water pipelines, creating 72 jobs in the process.

As a result, more than 10,000 residents in four nearby communities now have access to 320,000 liters of clean water daily, ending the tough routines of fetching water on foot.

Additionally, because municipal electricity could not power the water system in the Ga-Mphuru village, Nkwe innovatively built the area's first solar-powered water supply system. This system, which operates independently off the grid, powers the water pumps and the safety fences around the water facilities.

At the handover ceremony, Sekhukhune District Executive Mayor Maleke Mokganyetji expressed her satisfaction, saying, "The Garatau project has given us hope and set a benchmark for other projects. It encourages other mines to better implement social labor plans and benefit more communities." She also noted with pleasure that the project had completely addressed issues caused by water scarcity in the communities.

Translator:Jian   Reviser:  Li Yuanxing   Editor-in-Chief: Wang Jie