Thursday 6 February 2025 - Wits Business School (WBS) today hosted a very special celebration: 20 traditional leaders from Limpopo and Northwest provinces graduated from the school’s pilot programme in corporate governance for traditional authorities.

This tailor-made programme is the result of a three-way partnership between mining group Sibanye-Stillwater, consultant ShakesShem, and WBS’s Executive Education division, and aims to capacitate traditional authorities through skills and leadership development, as well as to strengthen relations.

“Sibanye’s mining operations take place in several areas owned by traditional authorities. This lease agreement presents both challenges and opportunities. To mitigate challenges and enhance collaboration between the two entities, Sibanye approached WBS to provide learning and mentorship for traditional leaders in the area of governance,” explains James Makadu, Programme Manager at WBS.

At the heart of the initiative is the mining group’s vision of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the land beyond the finite lifespan of a mining operation.  Executive Vice President of Stakeholder Relations and Sustainability at Sibanye-Stillwater, Ms Thabisile Phumo, spoke with passion at the ceremony: “Today is testament to Sibanye’s commitment to partner with the traditional authorities to create shared value; to ensure that we prepare for the future potential of this land so that it does not lie fallow but becomes a site of vibrant economic activity, be it industry or agriculture. Let’s all continue to co-create a future we can be proud of.”

Leoni Grobler, Director of Executive Education at WBS, welcomed the new grads to the network of Wits alumni, emphasising the power of collaboration towards positive change.

“I am proud of each and every one of the traditional leaders who graduated today and acknowledge the leadership at Sibanye-Stillwater for demonstrating a passionate commitment to societal impact and a sustainable future for generations to come. It is also exciting to see the delegates’ desire to take their training further.”

The graduates will soon be embarking on the next phase in their journey with WBS, a financial management programme,, making space for the next cohort in Corporate Governance for Traditional Authorities.