13 July 2026

Evander’s unemployment and skills development challenges are closely tied to the region’s reliance on the mining sector and a structural skills mismatch.

With youth unemployment rates in South Africa hovering around 60%, localized training initiatives and educational realignments are critical to empowering the local workforce.

Addressing the employment and skills crisis in the Evander area hinges on understanding several key localized dynamics and opportunities.

Evander Gold Mines (EGM) attempts to bridge this gap through initiatives such as the Social and Labour Plan (SLP) and Community Tailings Workshops.

EGM conducted a vendor registration and invited businesses, Civil Society Organisations, Local Business Forums, Community Development Forums and Local NGOs within the Govan Mbeki jurisdiction.

The workshop happened on 08 – 11 June 2026.

During the workshop, vendors were shown how the system works.

The themes of the Workshop:

  •  Vendor registration: The workshop focused on legal and governance framework compliance, vendor vetting, supporting documents, and vendor registration turnaround period.

  • Social and Labour Plan Mine Community Development Projects update: The Social and Labour Plan was submitted in 2022 and approved in June 2025. Two and a half years later. The community was also updated on the challenges in implementing the following projects: Basizeni Special School, Waste Transfer Station, and Sijongile Ndamase Community Hall. The projects are held due to the change of scope

  • Tailings Facilities Storage (TSF): Purely, this session was Information sharing with our surrounding communities and stakeholders, and assured communities and stakeholders that the EGM TSF are monitored and maintained. Our TSF are compliant with local regulations and meet international standards.

Feedback from stakeholders during the workshop:
Stakeholders – spanning government, small business, and civil society – continuously decry the staggering economic losses, rising poverty, and threat to social stability caused by the lack of job creation.

With young people neither in employment, education, nor training, the crisis risks generating a “lost generation” whose professional skills erode before they can ever enter the workforce.

  •  Vendor Registration: Facilitated by the Procurement Manager,
  • SLP Mine Community Development Projects: Facilitated by the Community Relations Manager,
  • TSF Community awareness: Facilitated by the Environmental Officer.

The participants during the workshop were:
1. SANCO

2. Govan Mbeki First

3. Leandra Stakeholder Engagement Forum

4. Local Economic Development Unemployment Forum

5. NAFCO

6. Sakhisizwe CPA

7. Govan Mbeki Municipality Consortium

8. Govan Mbeki Joint Committee

9. African Development Trust

10. Vusumphakathi Community Development