Thungela, a thermal coal mining company, has announced its plan to establish a nursery to support the planting of one million trees and has already initiated a hatchery to breed fish for reintroducing into a river ecosystem that suffered aquatic life loss earlier this year. The community-owned tree nursery is set to open in two weeks, while the hatchery has already begun fish breeding in Loskop dam. Thungela's CEO, July Ndlovu, highlighted that the company is also engaged in renewable energy efforts, with ongoing studies evaluating the feasibility of generating 8 MW of solar power at two collieries.

Thungela's corporate social responsibility initiatives encompass various areas, including supporting employees through the Sisonke Employee Empowerment Scheme, fostering community development via the Nkulo Community Partnership Trust, and promoting enterprise upliftment through the Thuthukani Enterprise and Supplier Development Programme. Ndlovu emphasized the impact of these initiatives on individuals and communities, sharing stories of positive changes.

Regarding Thungela's environmental efforts, the company aims to plant trees not just for carbon offsets but also to remediate contaminated water by absorbing heavy minerals from soils and water. Ndlovu mentioned that the number of trees planted so far is substantial, with the constraint being the availability of seedlings. While Thungela has focused its climate change strategy on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, Ndlovu acknowledged that addressing Scope 3 emissions, involving coal consumers, is a developing area that requires further work.

Ndlovu's key message from the interview emphasizes Thungela's commitment to responsible value creation, benefitting shareholders, employees, and communities alike. He also underscored the company's dedication to environmental restoration and fulfilling promises made to restore ecosystems affected by past incidents.