“In my profession, no two days are the same. The role can be challenging and sometimes demanding, but it’s very rewarding too. My day can range from reviewing Environmental Impact Assessments of a proposed activity to interpreting data of a Monitoring Report to using the ‘fine art’ of persuasion to bring an operator into compliance, and then on to site inspections with monitoring contractors or a government official and finally catching up on my report writing and admin during a quiet moment!” explains Yoliswa Faku (28), who is an Environmental Officer at Canyon Coal.

However, most of her time is spent in the office as most of her projects are currently on license applications. “This role has given me the opportunity to make really good use of my combination of scientific and people skills,” states Yoliswa who has been with Canyon Coal since February 2022.

She was born and bred in the Vaal Triangle, in Gauteng and holds a Bachelor's in Life and Environmental Sciences specializing in Geology and Environmental Management. Yoliswa is also a certified Integrated Management System Internal Auditor for ISO Standards.

As an Environmental Officer, she forms part of the Project Team at Canyon coal. Yoliswa is responsible for prospecting and mining rights applications, licensing and public participation processes on the proposed mines and sidings. She also ensures that the organization is compliant with all the relevant environmental regulations, standards and license conditions related to pollution and waste management at the current operations. Yoliswa notes that her team ensures that all of Canyon’s operations are fully licensed, each of them has an approved Environmental Management Programme, as well as a Water Use License, which is audited annually, and monitoring takes place as scheduled.

“Canyon Coal is committed to promoting career development by exposing their employees to new projects which helps one to broaden their experience, I enjoy new challenges,” Yoliswa states.

Women Making Their Way in Mining

While the mining sector remains male-dominated today, women work in an increasingly wide range of roles, including management positions. Yoliswa believes there is a “slight pressure” of being a woman in an environmental oversight position, however; she believes any job has its own challenges and it is how you overcome them that makes an impact. “Having a female as a manager also lessens the weight,” she notes. Her manager is Menar Head of Environmental Licensing Sarah Wanless, who she says has been a source of inspiration and guidance.

Yoliswa says that she would encourage young girls to follow a career in Environmental Sciences as there are lots of geologists and civil/environmental engineers working in the environmental sector, including regulatory bodies (state departments) and environmental consulting companies. “With that said, I would recommend they get a degree in geology or environmental engineering because job prospects and job flexibility are better, unless they've put it in their heads that they can't do maths, then they can get a BA in Environmental Studies, which can have more policy emphasis (less hard science) but every programme varies,” she notes

“With all the knowledge, the roles, and the qualifications we may hold in this world. Let us not forget one thing that is generally taken for granted in the working environments, being kind. Every ripple of Kindness we release into the world has the potential to touch a life in a profound and lasting way,” Yoliswa concludes.