Glencore Ferroalloys’ Lion Smelter donated two 65-seater busses to local SMME Moeding Transport as part of its Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) Programme. The investment is part of the Glencore’s ongoing efforts to support local black-owned businesses in and around their communities.
The Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) programme aims to strategically assist local businesses in meeting their business objectives by equipping them with the relevant skills and resources. Moeding Transport is a Limpopo based black-owned entity from Ngwaabe Village in Steelpoort which has provided transportation services to Lion Smelter employees for over 11 years.
“One of our social performance pillars is socio-economic development with the clear priority and objective to partner with communities to advance socio-economic development opportunities”.
These are key drivers that motivates our ESD programme and we are witnessing the growth within our local SMMEs and their ability to empower themselves through our support. What the business has showcased over the years is the spirit of resilience; their commitment to quality service has not wavered despite challenging circumstances. We are proud to have a business on our side that values our employees as much as we do,” said Charlin Ntuli, Enterprise, and Supplier Development Superintendent.
Lion Smelter’s Works Manager Tumisho Thathane congratulated the company on its commitment to growing the business and their perseverance over the years.
“We are delighted to be here today to hand over these new busses to Moeding Transport, a company we have seen grow from strength to strength during our time of working with them. Their commitment to safety and quality has been consistent in the way the business operates, and we have always been impressed by their commitment to getting our employees to the operations safely and on time. It is a pleasure to work with a company that we know is dependable with our most valuable assets – our people. We look forward to even more growth and safer rides in the future,” he said.
Over the years, Moeding has experienced incredible operational growth through the support received from the smelter. Since providing services at Glencore, the business has been able to acquire assets that include a 65- and 22-seater bus, a LDV bakkie, as well as a double-cab bakkie.
Through Glencore’s support, the business has been able to supply affordable transport services for schools and other community organisations who need to travel between provinces and within the region.
“Glencore has given us the opportunity to see what hard work and determination can accomplish. We’ve been working with the smelter for several years now and have truly enjoyed being able to ensure that employees always remain safe and on time. Through this donation, we will be able to support the community by employing four more drivers, which will assist in expanding our services to more companies and schools. Thank you, Glencore, for giving us the support to keep pushing in order to grow our business,” said Mogale Tjabadi, co-founder of Moeding Transport.
Glencore continues to strive towards the advancement of local businesses within their communities with the goal of encouraging more entrepreneurial activity in order to grow local economies.