Faith Masango (25) stands firm in her stance that mining while looking after your surroundings is possible. Faith was recently appointed as Gugulethu Colliery’s Environmental Officer and says she is ready to hit the ground running. A self-proclaimed nature conservation advocate, Faith holds an Environmental Management degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Her passion for nature emanates from being surrounded by strikingly beautiful landscapes as a child. “The changes that these landscapes are now experiencing because of things like climate change influenced me to choose a career in environmental management. I got to understand that the environment cannot advocate for itself,” she explains. Faith enjoys taking part in community outreach projects and clean up campaigns. She was recently recognized for her efforts after receiving the African Future Leaders Honoree Award for 2023.

Environmental laws have evolved overtime, providing guidelines for mining companies to play their part in conservation efforts. Faith asserts that this makes it possible for operations to be carried out responsibly. “The most important thing is making people aware of the challenges, and what we can do in order to mitigate those challenges,” she says. Before starting her journey with Canyon Coal, Faith worked at an environmental consultancy firm. Being a part of a new mine is also the perfect opportunity for Faith to get first-hand experience of how environmental measures are implemented from the initial phases of a mining project.