Our leadership

Benford Mokoatle [photo]

Benford Mokoatle

EVP South Africa

While still in high school, Benford Mokoatle was inspired by a geologist at one of the Vaal Reef mines to pursue a career in geology. He augmented his qualification as a geologist, gaining knowledge in economics, developing business acumen as well as ethical, social and political awareness to ensure that he became a well-rounded individual.

 
 

After some 21 years in the mining industry, Benford joined Gold Fields and South Deep in October 2017. Here he sees his role as Vice President and Head of operations, not as a job but as a calling. It is a calling about driving a sustainable change, making a difference to people and giving hope where many have lost hope. He plays a leading role in turning around a mine that was accustomed to loss making, by driving change and influencing the culture to deliver on South Deep’s strategy.

South Deep is a modern mine with immense opportunity that can make a difference to the region and the country. We have started to journey towards making South Deep a beacon of pride for our people, our communities, our stakeholders and our shareholders. We have begun to use our resources to drive change and make a difference at our mine and in our communities.
Andre Marais [photo]

Andre Marais

Head of Projects

Andre Marais is Head of Projects at South Deep, responsible for providing the mining teams with the support they need, including placing of backfill, the shotcrete teams carrying work out in the de-stress areas, the secondary support teams, and the teams carrying out operations in the current mine area. He also oversees the execution of a number of capital infrastructure projects and the drawing office.

 
 

Andre Marais has a qualification in electrical engineering. He joined the South Deep team in 2008 to complete the shaft sinking and commence with the major construction work that was required for the production build-up and eventual steady-state production.

South Deep has many opportunities. The mine is a complex entity and getting to understand all the intricacies that make it function requires dedication and stamina. If you are willing to learn it will allow you to grow as a person in all aspects of life. The experience you gain at South Deep will stand you in good stead no matter where your career takes you.
Lodewyk Turvey [photo]

Lodewyk (Louis) Turvey

Head of Engineering

Over the past 26 years, Louis Turvey’s career has spanned several commodities including coal, iron ore and heavy minerals, and he has worked for a number of mining houses including Kumba Resources, Exxaro Resources, Total Coal, Xstrata Coal and Ticor South Africa. He has acquired broad leadership skills and has diverse technical experience in both opencast and underground mining processes, including in various beneficiation processes in coal mining as well as heavy mineral separation plants, slag and metal treatment plants and smelters. Louis was appointed Head of Engineering at South Deep in 2021.

 
 

Louis holds a Masters’ Degree in Business Administration (MBA), a Degree in Mechanical Engineering (B.Eng. Mech) and Government Certificates of Competency for both Mines and Factories and is registered as Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa. He is married with three children.

“I am very excited to be part of South Deep as it continuously strives to improve and reinvent itself. The deployment of future mine technology in order to improve the mines performance, employees work life and in particular their safety creates real meaning for me. I strive to create meaning in all that I do and for the people I serve and South Deep’s culture encourages meaningful growth”
Stephen Joseph [photo]

Stephen Joseph

Head of Metallurgy

Stephen Joseph is a metallurgist by training, who began his career with JCI where he worked at its platinum and gold mining operations. He joined South Deep as a metallurgist in 2001. In his capacity as Head of Metallurgy he manages the gold plant, backfill plant and all surface infrastructure such as the pollution control dams and tailings storage facilities.

 
 

The Metallurgical Department is key to ensuring that mining can occur safely with maximum gold recovery and ensuring a sustainable environment to allow the mine to continue operating.

South Deep has the orebody that can take mining technology into the future. This will not only create employment and business for our communities, but created a skilled workforce which will ensure the sustainability of the mine.
Jacques Erasmus [photo]

Jacques Erasmus

Head of Safety

Jacques is a seasoned professional with 38 years’ experience in the mining industry. He has a track record of performance in senior management positions and is widely regarded as an expert in his field. During his career, Jacques has worked for a number of mining houses including Impala Platinum, Vedanta Resources, Lonmin and AngloGold Ashanti. He also served as Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines for the Department Minerals & Energy.

 
 

Jacques holds a Masters’ Degree in Engineering, a Graduate Diploma in Engineering (Rock Mechanics) from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Mine Managers Certificate of Competency. He is married with three children. Jacques is an avid cyclist and marathon runner, and enjoys scuba diving.

By inculcating a culture of brand ambassadorship, I believe South Deep will make major progressive advances to the point where industry leaders will visit to experience and be exposed to what we have learned
Francois van der Walt [photo]

Francois van der Walt

Senior Manager Health & Environmental Engineering

Francois van der Walt began his career with AngloGold Ashanti in November 1993. He worked in various roles in safety, health and environmental engineering as well as senior management at a number of the AngloGold Ashanti’s largest South African mines. Francois joined South Deep in January 2017, and was appointed as Manager Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering in 2019.

 
 
Every day at South Deep brings with it an opportunity to make a difference. The mine has been through a very tough time and we are busy rebuilding it. It is exciting to see it rise from the ashes, grow and prosper on a daily basis. If I see what we have done in two short years, the future is unimaginable This is only the beginning and we will be the ‘last man standing’ in the SA gold industry.
Siyanda Dludla [photo]

Siyanda Dludla

Head of Technical Services

To date, Siyanda has built his career at De Beers group, occupying numerous leadership roles within the group locally, as well as in Canada, Angola and Botswana. His expertise spans the mining value chain and he has led organisational change through people, systems and processes. In addition to technical expertise, he also has experience in stakeholder engagement with organised labour, communities and contractors.

 
 

Siyanda holds several qualifications, including a Masters’ Degree in Mining Engineering, Honours Degrees in both Industrial Technology and Geology, and a Degree in Biology, Earth and Environmental Science. Other certifications he has earned cover the disciplines of project management and quality management.

By aligning all our people to the common vision, enabling them to deliver on key focus areas and continually improving the way we work in our respective areas, we will become a beacon of pride
Roelof Niehaus  [photo]

Roelof Niehaus

Head of Mining

Roelof Niehaus started his mining career 20 years ago with Anglo American Platinum where he was involved in underground as well as open pit hard rock operations. He joined South Deep in 2016 where he has held numerous leadership roles in the mining department. As the Head of Mining, Roelof is responsible for developing and successfully executing the mining extraction strategy. The strategy ultimately aims to enable each member of the mining team to perform to their full potential but also to encourage teamwork amongst departments in line with our value of collaborative delivery.

 
 

Roelof holds a Masters’ Degree in Business Administration (MBA), a Degree in Mining Engineering (B.Eng. Mining), and a Mine Manager’s Certificate of Competence.

The people of South Deep have so much to be proud of and I am very grateful to have been part of the journey thus far. I believe we have a wonderful opportunity at South Deep to create real sustainable value for our communities for decades to come, and to be a true beacon of pride.”
Steve Martin [photo]

Steve Martin

Senior Manager People South Deep

Steve Martin has extensive experience in leadership roles across multiple aspects of the human resources function, including organisation design and change management, talent and reward management, HR model design, and leadership development, and the governance functions related to each. He has spent most of his career within the minerals sector.

 
 

Having always had an interest in people development, a career in HR has afforded Steve the opportunity to truly make a difference. He recognises that South Deep has great potential to enhance the employee experience and instil an even more pervasive sense of pride amongst its people for being part of South Deep, and ultimately achieving the organisation’s business transformation aspirations.

By maintaining, the momentum on driving its transformational strategy led by progressive leadership, enabled and energized teams and, applying the right blend of People, Process, Systems and Technology, South Deep is assured of achieving its vision.
Xelia Van Rooyen  [photo]

Xelia Van Rooyen

Managing Counsel South Africa

 

 
 

 

 
Stephan Fouche [photo]

Stephan Fouche

Senior Manager Financial Operations SD

Stephan Fouche began his career with Gold Fields in 1996, as a financial clerk at the company’s St Helena mine in the Free State Province of South Africa. He gained further management accounting experience at the Group’s Beatrix and Driefontein mines eventually transferring to the Gold Fields Shared Services division.

 
 

Subsequently Stephan began working on ICT projects and contributed to the successful implementation of the SAP enterprise resource planning system. In 2010, he transferred to South Deep to take up a role as Unit Manager Management Accounting, and in 2019 he was promoted to Head of the Commercial Services department.

In this capacity, Stephan ensures that the financial strategy is achieved, that financial reporting is accurate and up-to-date and that capital and operational expenditure is value-adding. He is also responsible for financial governance and compliance and ensuring the correct and sustainable deployment of ICT systems, payroll activities and procurement and supply chain management.

Grant Webber [photo]

Grant Webber

General Manager

Grant Webber has worked in the mining industry for three decades, at a range of companies that including JCI, Harmony Gold, Lonmin Platinum, Sibanye Stillwater and now Gold Fields. He joined the South Deep Team in 2020 after spending four years working at the neighbouring Kloof mines.

 
 

As the Head of Mining, Grant is responsible for developing and successfully executing the mining extraction strategy. This strategy focuses on developing the competencies and capabilities of the mining teams and enabling people to perform to their full potential.

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