Social Development Manager Khumbulani ‘Skorpion’ Masuku

Imenenja yeSustainable Development uMnu uKhumbulani ‘Skorpion’ Masuku

Community Forum key to social cohesion

The ZAC Community Forum is a collaborative engagement between ZAC, the Indunas representing the four local communities (Mlaba, Matheni, Mandlakazi and Zungu), Recruitment Committee, local business leaders and the South African Police Services (SAPS). The forum meets once a month, during which matters of mutual interest are discussed, such as Social Labour Plans (SLPs), Local Economic Development (LED) projects, community concerns/issues, recruitment matters, safety in the area, production and other related topics. The Indunas, in return, provide feedback to the AmaKhosi and the community members by relating to them the issues discussed at the meeting.

Some of the biggest challenges ZAC has faced included crime around the area, people not wanting to engage with business forums and local suppliers blocking the roads looking for tender and jobs. There has at times been a lot of commotion around the area, which is why ZAC needed to find a suitable person to engage the communities, someone that understands the communities and public platforms.

In December 2020 ZAC appointed Khumbulani ‘Skorpion’ Masuku as Social Development Manager. Khumbulani knows the community well having himself come from Nongoma in Zululand. He has been with ZAC for over 20 years, having started working at the mine in 2001 as a general worker in the underground operation. He has also worked as a shift leader underground, as a Safety Officer and has also worked in the coal processing and logistics department.

Having lived in the region all his life and worked at the mine for an extended length of time Khumbulani says that he has developed a very deep understanding of the local dynamics, which is crucial when trying to diffuse challenging situations.

“Community development projects need to be fairly distributed as we do not want to be seen to be favouring one community over another. Fairness and open communication with communities at the ground level is essential,” Khumbulani highlights.

Moreover, he notes that the Umfolozi Business Forum reports back to the Community Forum, which is the primary body representing local communities, about tenders, business and employment opportunities at ZAC.

“Sometimes we raise issues with the Business Forum about incidents, whereby local suppliers are not paying their own staff and this can impact services provided to ZAC and can even result in strikes occurring. We work with the Business Forum, SAPS and community representatives in order to clarify matters and end any unrest as soon as possible,” Khumbulani explains.

“The forum’s mission is to be proactive and collaborative to ensure the right information is conveyed correctly. In the absence of leadership, in any situation, it leaves a vacuum. Some people like falsely claiming they are leaders which is why these forums are so crucial as they have been recognised by the community,” he concludes.

Imqoka iCommunity Forum ukubambisana komphakathi

I-ZAC Community Forum okuyisigcawu sokubambisana phakathi kwezinduna ezimele imiphakathi emine (waKwaMlaba, KwaZungu, KwaMandlakazi naseMatheni), ikomidi labaqashi, abaphathi bamabhizinisi endawo namaphoyisa isinqume ukuba nemihlangano kanye ngenyanga ukudingida izindaba ezihlupha imiphakathi abayakhele okuyizinkinga zokuthola imisebenzi kwabantu emphakathini, ukuthuthukiswa kwezomnotho okuyizinkinga ezithinta umphakathi nezokuphepha. 

Ngemuva kwalo mhlangano izinduna kumele zibuyele emakhosini nasemphakathini ziyochaza ngobekudingidwa emhlanganweni nomhlanhlandlela ozothathwa ukulungisa lezi zinkinga.

Kwezinye zezinkinga ezinkulu iZAC ebhekene nazo kulo mphakathi izinga lobugebengu eliphezulu, abantu abangafuni ukuzibandakanya kumaForum amabhizinisi nokuteleka kwabantu bavale imigwaqo befuna amathenda nemisebenzi ngodlame. Kuke kwaba nokuxokozela okukhulu emphakathini nokuyisizathu esenze iZAC ibone isidingo sokuthi ithole umuntu ozaziyo noziqondayo izinqinamba ezibhekene nomphakathi ukuba abe umxhumanisi phakathi komphakathi nayo. 

NgoZibandlela wezi-2020 iZAC yaqoka uMnu uKhumbulani “Skorpion” Masuku kwesokuba yiSustainable Development Manager. UMasuku uzazi ukusuka nokuhlala izinkinga zomphakathi kwazise udabuka kwaNongoma khona eZululand. Usesebenze eZAC iminyaka engaphezulu kwewu20. Waqala ukusebenzela lenkampani ngo-2001 esebenza njengomvukuzi, wasebenza njengomphathi yabasebenza emgodini waphinde wasebenza njengomphathi ebhekelele ezokuphepha, ukuhlungwa kwamalahle nasemnyangweni wezokuthutha khona ngaphakathi emayini. 

Njengomuntu osehlale kulesi sifunda impilo yakhe yonke futhi wasebenza emayini isikhathi eside, uthi useluqonda kabanzi usikompilo nendlela okusetshenzwa ngayo emayini nezingqinamba zakhona. 

UMasuku uthe: “Imisebenzi yokuthuthukiswa komphakathi kufanele yabiwe ngendlela efanayo nangokulinganayo ukuze kungabi nokuthi kuyenzelelwa kweminye imiphakathi. Kube nokuxoxisana nezakhamuzi, abaphathi bangazithatheli izinqumo bashiye umphakathi ngaphandle.”

Ngaphezu kwalokho ubone ukuthi iUmfolozi Business Forum iyabuyela emphakathini nezinto ebezixoxwa emhlanganweni izibatshela ngamathenda, amathuba amabhizinisi nemisebenzi ekhishwa i-ZAC. “Kwesinye isikhathi siyaziphakamisa nezikhalo ezehlela izisebenzi lapho osomabhizinisi abanikwe amathenda bengabakhokheli izisebenzi nokungaba nomthelela ongemuhle ongaholela ekutheni kube neziteleka. Yingakho sisebenzisana namaphoyisa, iForum yosomabhizinisi, nabamele umphakathi ukuze sizogwema ukuxokozela komphakathi.

“Isifiso seForum wukuvikela umphakathi ngokubambisana ukuze siqinisekise ukuthi ulwazi lufinyelela kubantu ngendlela eqondile neyiqiniso. Esimweni lapho kungekho khona abaholi kuba khona abantu abadlulisa umyalezo ngendlela okuyiyona bezenza abaholi nokuyilapho-ke iForum isiza khona ngoba iyaziwa emiphakathini,” kuphetha uMasuku.