Full name(s) and surname:
Sephela Makete Thema
Position:
Head of Operations, West Wits Mining
What contribution do you see yourself making to the SAIMM and Council? :
- To continue the work of creating platforms that bring the industry, academic institutions, students and industry leaders together to co-create a successful future for the mining industry.
- Connect youth and early career professionals/entrepreneurs with the private sectors and opportunities available for their growth in the mining sector.
Interactions/activities that you currently participate in within the SAIMM (if applicable):
- I first joined the SAIMM as a student member in 2009, became an associate member and now a Professional Member.
- I have been a member of the SAIMM Young Professionals Council since 2018
- In the SAIMM YPC, I have been part of the Advocacy and Mentorship portfolios.
- I have continued to SAIMM Conferences as a Speaker, Presenter, and a delegate.
Qualifications:
- Executive Leadership Program, University of Oxford
- Master of Science in Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand
- Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration, University of Pretoria
- Bacher of Science in Engineering (Mining), University of the Witwatersrand
Brief career history:
I am a mining engineer and sustainability executive with over 15 years of senior leadership experience across the mining sector. He currently serves Head of Operations for West Wits Mining, providing both strategic and operational leadership for the West Wits Basin Project, and the development and ramp up of the flagship Qala Shallows Mine, South Africa’s first new gold mine in over 15 years.
I started my career at Anglo American as a mining graduate, before going on to hold senior operational leadership roles from 2016 to 2023 including Vice President, Mine Manager, and Mine Overseer at Anglo Platinum and Sibanye Stillwater. In these roles, he led complex PGM mining operations, driving operational excellence, risk management, and performance optimisation in highly regulated environments. Most recently Makete was the General Manager and Divisional Head for Fraser Alexander’s Tailings Business in South Africa and Namibia.
Links to active social media platform
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