Who are we?

The Palabora Foundation was created in 1986 by Palabora Mining Company (Palabora). It is a registered independent educational trust and is registered as a non-profit organisation with the Department of Social Development.

Who runs the Foundation?

The Board of Trustees delegates day-to-day management to the Foundation Director, assisted by the management team and their staff. There are 102 members of staff (49 full-time and 53 part-time or contract).

In addition, corporate governance at Palabora Foundation is ensured by a Board of Trustees' audit committee, external auditors (PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc) and internal auditors (SAB&T).

Stakeholders who meet with the Foundation annually to discuss progress and plans include representatives from local and provincial government, local communities, the Chamber of Business, the Trade and Tourism Council, traditional authorities from the local communities and officials from the provincial government’s education, agriculture and health departments.

Board of trustees

Palabora Foundation's Board of Trustees meets quarterly to review the work of the Foundation.

Chairman

C Asubonten (Chief Financial Officer, Palabora Mining Company)

Executive trustees

M Gili (Managing Director, Palabora Mining Company)
C Asubonten (Chief Financial Officer, Palabora Mining Company)

Non-executive trustees

M R K Segabutla (Education)
B M Masete (Community Health)
I Masekwameng (Business Development)

Management team

Malesela Letsoalo - Director Palabora Foundation
Operations Manager (vacant)
Emelinah Mohuba - Finance & Administration Manager
Adelaine Strauss - Secretariat

Partners

The Foundation has a number of important partners including the European Union, various departments in the Limpopo Provincial Government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), industrial and commercial corporations, Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality and private individuals.

Partnerships are emerging as the most efficient way for the Foundation to become involved in social development programmes and projects in the area. By accessing expertise and sharing resources and skills, partnerships can provide mutual benefit whilst also giving projects the critical mass and momentum they require for success. Over the years the Foundation has become a partner with provincial and local government, other local companies, NGOs and communities in its efforts to improve the education and skills base, fight the high rate of unemployment in the region, reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS and stimulate local economic development.

The main contributors to Palabora Foundation's success are the many donors, including Foskor, Sasol Nitro, Oxfam, SEDA, the National Development Agency and the National Lottery.

Palabora Mining Company, Foskor Limited, Sasol Nitro and Lepelle Northern Water are the major funders of the Programme for Technological Careers (PROTEC) and TechnoKidz.

The Phelang HIV/AIDS Community Programme is funded in partnership with Palabora Mining Company, Foskor Limited, Sasol, Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, JOHAP/Oxfam, the Department of Health and Social Development, the National Development Agency and the National Lottery.

Sincere thanks are due to our local government partner, Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, and to all those that help the Foundation succeed in making our communities more self-reliant.

Local communities

Consultation is vitally important in deciding which projects and programmes should be implemented in the community. Each traditional authority has a Community Development Committee (CDC) which represents its community at annual forum meetings with the Foundation. There may also be meetings with individual CDCs at the request of the Foundation or the host community. The Palabora Foundation Director, the two Operating Managers and senior Foundation staff attend these meetings to plan projects, determine priorities and update the community on implementation of current and past projects.

The local and regional media, including Phalaborwa community radio station, are also used to communicate programmes and achievements to local communities.

Financial management training has been provided to CDCs, which helps communities to develop business plans for projects. They can then present these plans to the Foundation to ask for support.

Where does the money come from?

Palabora provided most of the finances needed to run the Foundation. Until 2001, Palabora gave 3% of their after tax profit to the Foundation. We also receive funding from government and non-government partners. Currently, our operating expenses come from the interest earned on our investment fund.

Fast facts

Why are we doing this?

In short, Palabora Foundation exists to give something back to the community. The strategic aims of the Palabora Foundation are:

“Phalaborwa” or “Palabora”?

Prior to the establishment of the Palabora copper mine, geologists used the simple spelling “Palabora” when referring to the igneous ore body complex in the area. The copper mining venture was subsequently registered as Palabora Mining Company.

Shortly afterwards, in the 1950s, a staff member of Foskor applied to the Place Names Commission to register the name of the small settlement town as “Phalaborwa”. In Sotho, this is the spelling for a word meaning “better than the South”. The name refers to the early migratory movements of local tribes in the area who moved South, later returning to the area for its better living conditions.