Community

Australia

• During 2004, Sunrise Dam commenced an indigenous supply initiative, aimed at encouraging indigenous business from the local area to get involved in tendering for services associated with the mine.

Group

• Alignment of the social investment and community policies of AngloGold and Ashanti following the business combination in April 2004. A workshop was held in November 2004, in Ghana, for social investment and community managers from the developing countries within the group to improve knowledge-sharing and facilitate the integration of the operations in Ghana and Guinea.
• Launch of 'Social Development Toolbox', a guide to AngloGold Ashanti's community practices.

South Africa

• In South Africa and its traditional labour-sending areas, where the majority (69%) of employees are based or originate from, the AngloGold Ashanti Fund and Trust has invested R16.148 million ($2.59 million) (2003: R15.5 million or $2.42 million) in a vast range of projects/institutions. (This includes the management fee.)
• Businesses supported by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Initiative (SMEDI) achieved a turnover of R696 million ($93 million) in 2004 (2003: R15.5 million). SMEDI has set up 172 businesses since its formation in 1998, with an accumulated turnover of more than R500 million ($78 million). The initiative has facilitated the creation of more than 3,000 jobs.
• The Masakhisane Fund, which provides capital to SMEDI supported-businesses, disbursed R1 million largely to HDSA ventures during the year, providing them with access to seed funding for commercial ventures.
• Give-as-you-earn and employee volunteering programmes were implemented at the corporate office, with plans to extend this to the South Africa region being put in place.
• The South Africa region submitted its social and labour plans for all its South African operations (excluding Ergo, which will cease operations in March 2005), in line with the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA).
• The Masifunde Fund, which is an Education Trust established for the children of employees and contractors fatally injured at AngloGold Ashanti operations in South Africa, disbursed some R262,000 in 2004.
• Good progress has been made with both consultation and social-impact mitigating initiatives surrounding the closure of the Ergo operations. Located in Gauteng, this 25 year-old operation is due to cease operations in March 2005.

Brazil

• An employee volunteer programme - Holding Hands - was launched at AngloGold Ashanti Mineração in 2004. (See case study: Holding hands - the volunteer programme in South America.)

Ghana

• The three-year $1.162 million malaria prevention programme that is being implemented at Obuasi is likely to have a significant impact on the region. Currently, an average of 6,000 new malaria cases are treated every month at the mine hospital - some 40% of new admissions; 27% of these are employees, 40% their dependents and 33% community members.
• $87,000 (50% spent in 2004) for an alternative livelihood project undertaken in conjunction with the Centre for Biodiversity Utilisation and Development at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Guinea

• In Guinea, AngloGold Ashanti's Siguiri mine allocates 0.04% of the mine's revenue for social investment and community relations projects, amounting to $199,000 in 2004.

Mali

• An Integrated Development Action Plan (IDAP) is being implemented at the Sadiola and Yatela operations in Mali. Some $1.22 million has been budgeted for the implementation plan over the next three years. (See case study: Integrated Development Action Plan for Sadiola and Yatela.)
• A multi-stakeholder workshop was held at the Sadiola/Yatela operations in Mali in October 2004.

Tanzania

• In June 2004, Geita mine in Tanzania once again undertook the Geita Gold Mine Kilimanjaro Challenge Climb Against HIV/AIDS, with employees, suppliers and community members climbing the highest mountain in Africa to raise funds for, and awareness of, people with HIV/AIDS. A total of $150,000 was collected from this year's climb and donated to eight different HIV/AIDS organisations.

United States

• The North America region continues to run one of the most successful volunteering programmes in the group, with employees donating some 2,500 hours to the community during the year.