Sterling work ethic earns khanye employee a promotion

Lindiwe Aphane, Khanye HR Officer

Tears of joy roll down Lindiwe Aphane’s face when she talks about her recent promotion from Khanye’s Human Resource (HR) Administrator to HR Officer. Lindiwe recalls the day she was informed about her promotion. Mine Manager Dawid Venter approached her with a serious expression, requesting to see her in his office, though he was clearly trying to hide the fact that he had some good news to share.

Lindiwe fell for the ruse, assuming it was something urgent or troubling. “At first I was a little nervous and thought there was a problem,” she says. In between bouts of laughter and tears of joy Lindiwe relays her excitement and looks forward to making a difference in her role as HR Officer. A psychology graduate from Bronkhorstspruit, Lindiwe joined Khanye’s team just over a year ago as an HR Administrator. Lindiwe believes taking the initiative and going the extra mile helped her to progress. “Sometimes, when you are doing things, you do not think that you are being impactful. But when others acknowledge your hard work, it’s really great,” she says.

Although she initially considered studying business administration, Lindiwe now wants to pursue her honours in psychology. She believes this will be helpful in her line of work, to gain a deeper understanding of human behaviour. Lindiwe hopes to specialise in counselling. “I think the social component is very important for my role. I feel that I must constantly equip myself with the knowledge of how to work with people,” she remarks. She completed a training course through the Labour Guide in managing discipline and behaviour in the workplace, and the company also provided her with employment equity training.