Major stakeholders from Government, Private and Public sector will be gathering at the 5th Annual Mine Security Conference on 1 and 2 July at the Indaba Hotel, Fourways Johannesburg hosted by SA-owned business Pinpoint Stewards.

Mining companies are being forced to divert from their core function of extracting minerals to physically protecting their commodities.  The associated risks and cost of illegal mining goes beyond financial losses as crime infiltrates markets, communities and borders.  With no immediate solution the annual conference aims to bring critical topics and key stakeholders together to collaborate, benchmark and share resources.

The two-day conference will address identifying insider threats in mining operations, intelligence-led operations between mines to improve collaboration in real-time, balancing risk management and compliance to safeguard people, infrastructure and minerals, using intel gathering techniques to reveal vulnerabilities before they can be exploited etc.

Christo Bezuidenhout, Deputy Assistant Commissioner,  Border Management Authority (BMA) will engage with industry on efforts to strengthen customs and border checks at entry and exit points in fighting the illicit trade of minerals and means to identifying these extracts.

Strengthening collaboration through PPP between state-, private- and security forces to combat the deteriorating security conditions affecting mining and key infrastructure projects will be tackled by Tembela Kulu, GM of Group Investigations and Security, Eskom

Warren Beech, CEO, Beech Veltman Inc.  will give insight into the legal rights of a mine to protect against illegal mining and security breaches, by sharing case studies and case law examples.

Evaluating, who is responsible at ownerless mines and closure of shafts will be addressed by president of the Junior Mining Council, Fred Arendse.

Over the past four years the DPCI have engaged with industry at the annual conference and they will give their support once again.  Provincial Head: Gauteng, Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), Mjr Gen Ebrahim Ahmed Kadwa will give his view during a panel discussion on a whole-of government approach in working together to achieve joint prosecutions through inter-agency collaboration and sharing of resources and expertise.  Other panellist include: Advocate Willemien Vos, Deputy Director: Public Prosecutions Organised Crime Component, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Dr Lincoln Cave, Advisory Board Member and Extraordinary Researcher, Centre for Geopolitical Security and Strategy(CGSS), North-West University (NWU).

Notable mining industry speakers include: 

• Dr. Mandla Zembe, GM (Security Executive), Rio Tinto | Richards Bay Minerals
• Theo Botoulas, CEO, Neo Energy Metals
• Thys de Beer, Group Security and Forensic Investigations Manager: SA Operations, Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd
• Max Baloyi, Group Head: Protection Services, Foskor
• Chandré Klaase, Section Manager: Protection Services, Anglo American-Kumba Iron Ore (Sishen Mine)

A panel discussing evaluating the different forms of intelligence gathering techniques will be discussed by experts within the mining sector private security, with engagement from the audience. Using HUMINT, SIGINT, OSINT, GEOINT and MASINT etc. to collect, analyse and process information from diverse sources. Panellist include:

• Joe van der Walt, CEO,  Focus Group
• Theo Pouroullis, CEO, Safer City Group
• Heico Kühn, COO, UDS

To receive conference agenda contact info@pinpointstewards.co.za or register online www.pinpointstewards.co.za. Early discounted rates apply before 15 April - R7 000 pp for two days, conference, networking and documentation.