Staff Reporter
Unki Mines marked a significant milestone this week as it hosted its first-ever “Keep It Safe Day”, focusing on enhancing safety protocols and promoting a culture of wellness among its workforce.
The occasion brought together employees across all Valterra Platinum operations from South Africa, including Unki Mine in Zimbabwe, under one resounding message: Safety is non-negotiable.
The event underscored the mine’s dedication to prioritizing the health and safety of its workforce, highlighting key initiatives and best practices aimed at preventing accidents and ensuring a safe workplace for all.
Unki Mines General Manager Walter Nemasasi, addressing the gathering, reinforced the need for each employee to have a responsibility to themselves and their fellow workers as the mine continues to invest in measures that protect its most valuable asset, its people.
“Each of our sites, from South Africa to Zimbabwe, China, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, faces its own unique challenges. But as Valterra Platinum, one thing that unites us all is safety – it is a non-negotiable.
“Our theme ‘Keep it Safe’ is so personal, and it is also about keeping yourself safe and being your brothers’ and sisters’ keeper. No amount of work compromises your safety or that of your colleagues.”
“At the heart of this, we use what we call SLAM, meaning Stop, Look, Assess, and Manage, to identify and manage risks at a personal level. It does not matter where you work or your role; one must always conduct a proper SLAM before every task, said Nemasasi.
He added, “For us, Safety is a responsibility we owe to ourselves, our families, and to each other. My family is my driving force; I know many of you feel the same. We all
have someone counting on us to come home safely.”
The event saw business partners working at the mine being recognized for maintaining high safety standards at the mine.
Coinciding with Mental Health Awareness Month, Keep It Safe Day 2025 also recognized that true safety includes psychological and emotional well-being.
Hence, Valterra Platinum reaffirmed its zero tolerance stance on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), bullying, and harassment all of which undermine workplace dignity and trust.
Through its GBV STAND framework, the company continues to cultivate a culture of respect and inclusion.
At Unki Mines, the results are already visible in 2025, the site recorded only two dignity-related cases, one involving bullying and another under broader dignity harms, which marks an improvement from 11 GBV-related cases in 2024.
