Although there were 18 awards presented at the 2022 Sappi Southern Africa (SSA) Safety Excellence Awards, in reality these award winners represent the thousands of people who return home safely to their loved ones and families every day from a Sappi site. Each safety observation made, and each injury-free and incident-free day ensures that we are all winners at Sappi.
Sappi employees celebrated in style at the recent annual Sappi Southern Africa Safety Excellence Awards.
The two safest business units that were singled out as overall winners, was the Sappi Stanger Mill in the manufacturing category and Sappi Forests Zululand in the forestry category. Both these business units are extending their reign as top units for a second year running.
Mthokozisi Jili, General Manager of Stanger Mill, accepts the award as overall winner Safest Business Unit in the
manufacturing category from Alex Thiel, Chief Executive Officer of Sappi Southern Africa.
Collecting the award for Safest Business Unit within Sappi Forests were the Zululand team: Musa Sithole (Management Forester, Zululand),
Wendy Zondi (Forestry Manager, Zululand Coastal) and Ciniso Magagula (Forester, Mooiplaas).
The awards are held annually to celebrate the achievements by employees and contractors who are nominated for their consistent and uncompromising commitment and dedication to Sappi’s zero-injury approach to safety, keeping everyone in their scope of influence safe and protected throughout the year.
Winners all – the Sappi Safety Excellence Awards have become a highlight for employees, and competition
is fierce among the contesting business units awarded in the various categories.
Individuals that were singled out were: Kendy Kambarami (Ngodwana Mill), Rendani Madula (Technology Centre), Roshan Maharajh (Stanger Mill), Ncamisile Mdadane (Saiccor Mill), Elvis Bandhla (Somusa Forestry, Mpumalanga), Karen Mattheus (Lomati Sawmill), Danie Rossouw (Sappi Head Office, Rosebank), Nyasha Zimbodza (Sappi Forests, Zululand), Rama Reddy (Goldfields, Tugela Mill), Nelisiwe Ngwenya (Mhlambanyathi Forestry, Mpumalanga), Gideon Mkhabela (Ngodwana Mill) and Sbahle Dlamini (Sappi Forests, KwaZulu-Natal).
Nyasha Zimbodza was awarded for being the Most Safety Conscious Sappi Employee
at Sappi Forests. She received her award from Philani Gumede, General Manager of Tugela Mill.
Elvis Bandhla (Somusa Forestry), Carina Potgieter (General Manager Mhlambanyathi), Patrick Maringa (Senior Area Manager, Sappi Forests),
Lebo Mokgotla (Mhlambanyathi) and Takalani Mufamadi (Manager Harvesting and Silviculture, Sappi Forests).
Contractors that excelled were IPSS Contractors at Ngodwana Mill, Mhlambanyathi Forestry in Mpumalanga, Waybar Construction at Saiccor Mill and Farmusa Agric & Forestry Contractors in KwaZulu-Natal.
One of the key fundamentals of the SSA business strategy is to drive operational excellence and one of the ways in which this is championed is through acknowledging and celebrating our safety-first culture. Supporting the health, safety and well-being of our employees and contractor employees is the cornerstone of our business. All our pulp and paper mills are certified to OHSAS 18001 to ensure best practice in health and safety, and we work to entrench the principles of safety first across all our operations every day, to encourage a 24/7 safety mindset.
“The importance of these awards has grown, making them highly prized in our company,” said Alex Thiel, Chief Executive Officer of Sappi Southern Africa. “It is always my greatest pleasure to recognise the individuals and teams – both from within Sappi, but also from our contractor ranks – who show their unflinching commitment to safety by being always vigilant, looking out for the safety of all and having the courage to challenge any unsafe acts or conditions. They may be the winners of the awards, but in doing what they do, they make winners of us all – ensuring that thousands of people return home safely to their families and loved ones every day.”
Sappi’s annual Safety Excellence Awards have become a celebration of safe behaviour and display a company where safety has become a way of life for its employees and contractors.
For further information
Zelda Schwalbach
External Communications Lead
Sappi Southern Africa
Tel +27 (0)31 001 7300
Zelda.Schwalbach@sappi.com
About Sappi
Sappi is a leading global provider of powerful everyday materials made from woodfibre-based renewable resources. As a diversified, innovative and trusted leader focused on sustainable processes and products, we seek to support a more circular economy.
Sappi is powered by the expertise of more than 12,000 people worldwide with headquarters in four key regions: South Africa, Europe, North America and Asia.
Locally, we have a footprint in Gauteng (head office), KwaZulu Natal (three mills, forestry operations and a shared services hub), Mpumalanga (two mills and forestry operations) and the Western Cape (sales office staff). Our product offering in South Africa include dissolving pulp, packaging and speciality papers, graphic papers and forestry products.
We also generate shared value in the communities in which we operate, by investing in skills training and SMME development to boost employment and grow the economy.
Sappi will continue to build a thriving world by acting boldly to support the planet, people and prosperity.
