Meet Masana Ntinga, the newly appointed commercial manager of the Amandelbult complex at Anglo American Platinum’s (Amplat) in Thabazimbi in Limpopo.
Ntinga has previously worked as an accountant at a major financial services business. Business Report chatted with her about her new role and some of the challenges that she has faced in her new line of work.
According to Ntinga, her role entails reviewing costs for each mine, interrogating them and asking the relevant questions.
“I also interrogate the headcount and the reason for (cost) increases, but then there's a lot of just reviewing our monthly performance, outputs and costs. Asking why, but then, also approving expenditure.
“When we review the performance, we will say, for example, this shaft is expected, or planned, to produce this much, but it produced less, why and how? What are the costs? Is this making commercial sense? Is it still adding value to the business? There's a lot of asking why, and trying to see if our operations are still adding value to the business and what needs to change,” she said.
Ntinga said her first 100 days in her new role had entailed her working through the budget as the company was busy with its annual budget cycle.
“I will have to sit and talk to our senior general manager to understand his expectations and what he would like to achieve on the mine, but also understand what the head office wants in terms of changes that they want us to implement.
“I want to observe how the team operates without changing anything. Once I understand how they work, and how they deliver on the deliverables, I will meet with them to discuss my expectations and changes that I will propose that they make. However, I keep in mind what is expected from the head office, and also what the general manager expects, but also what I think we need to do as a team,” she said.
Ntinga said her strategy included getting a good understanding of the operation and how it worked, going underground as well as thinking of the bigger picture, of where the Amandelbult mine fitted into the Anglo American Platinum company.
“I will also sensitise the team at the operations of the fact that we have an environment that is changing over the next near future. How can we change our behaviour, so that we all see the big picture, and buy into the strategy of the group as a whole to make sure that we maximise the value that you get from our asset,” Ntinga said.
Ntinga said some of the challenges she had faced in her career were personal.
“I needed to make sure that I'm comfortable being a woman in the male-dominated sector and also a woman of colour. Dealing with whatever insecurities that I will have.
“Sometimes people might think you landed the job because of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), not because of merit, and so not letting that type of thinking get to me,” she said.
BUSINESS REPORT