As its business grows, so does Ritluka’s commitment to ensuring safety, meeting production targets, and performing at top operational capacity. We explore the company’s offering of mining, construction, and trading services in South Africa and beyond.
DISCOVERING BEYOND THE EARTH’S CRUST
The vast continent of Africa is endowed with abundant mineral resources, including gold, silver, copper, uranium, cobalt, and many other precious metals which remain key to manufacturing processes around the world.
The mining and extractive industry has contributed and continues to represent a significant portion of Africa’s exports, revenue, and GDP annually.
For example, in 2019, minerals and fossil fuels accounted for more than a third of exports from at least 60 percent of African countries. Additionally, 42 out of 54 African nations have now been classified as resource dependent.
Furthermore, mineral resources continue to contribute a significant quantity of fiscal revenues, foreign currency reserves, and employment in African countries. Clearly, the mining and natural resources sector is critical in driving economic growth and development across the continent.
Positioned within this crucial industry is Ritluka, a 100 percent Black-owned company offering a variety of services in the mining industry of South Africa and neighbouring countries.
Founded in 2014, the company has gone on to position itself as the go-to group of experts in contract mining, drawing from more than 50 years of experience passed down from its founders. With diverse backgrounds in both mining and geology, Ritluka uniquely stands out as a company specialising in both open-cast and underground services.
The name Ritluka means “leaf” in Tsonga, which depicts and represents the company’s commitment to sustainability, a criterion for success that has become increasingly important in the mining sector as resource owners continuously look to enhance their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scorecards.
Ritluka provides premium solutions that are tailored to meet each client’s needs. This customisation and personalisation ensures that the company delivers its services optimally, on time, and on budget consistently.
This ability to carefully meet client needs is further augmented by Ritluka’s steadfast commitment to finding innovative, technology-driven solutions designed to help clients extract the maximum value from their resources.
A BUSINESS ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS PEOPLE
Ritluka’s set of company values is firmly embedded in playing its part in uplifting the communities in which it operates across.
The success of the company to date is rooted in its people, who Ritluka has invested a significant amount of time and resources in upskilling and empowering over the years. When the company refers to its people, it refers to both Ritluka employees and the communities in which it is intimately involved.
Today, Ritluka’s team is assembled of qualified and experienced male and female professionals, boasting extensive experience in geology, project management, mine design, open-cast operations, and underground operations.
Ritluka’s involvement in various operational and technical projects has positioned it as a company with high potential and capabilities in delivering projects and services of the greatest quality. At present, Ritluka employs over 1,000 people, located at a multitude of different sites.
The need to make a positive impact forms part of the rationale behind Ritluka’s choice of world-class equipment alongside an absolute commitment to providing industry-leading customer service for the entirety of the mining sector.
EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY
To date, Ritluka has developed a number of initiatives that have been deeply impactful. One of the initiatives that the company is most proud of is its work with the Kriel Football Association.
For example, Ritluka hosted a football tournament in 2020 as an official sponsor of the association. 10 football kits were also donated to all the teams taking part in the league, and throughout all the matches played in the season, Ritluka assisted in the provision of refreshments, transportation, and any other aid required by the association.
Additionally, Ritluka has donated car wash and sewing equipment to two local companies that are 51 percent Black and female owned. This donation has assisted them in expanding their operations and in the development of their business. Furthermore, Ritluka now procures its personal protective equipment (PPE) from one of these companies.
Elsewhere in the community, Ritluka has made significant donations comprising equipment (fridges, gas stoves) and food parcels to an old people’s home in Kriel. Since then, the company has continued to make monthly grocery donations.
In terms of educating its communities, Ritluka has sponsored over 100 students from the University of Witwatersrand to attend a mine tour hosted by various, specially selected sites. By attending these tours, the students received valuable, first-hand experience of how the facilities function safely and efficiently, and in this way, Ritluka continues to enhance the mining industry at every level.
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