Operator Excavator - Mamatwan Mine

South32; Hotazel; On-site; ZAR 50,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A mining company in Hotazel is looking for an Excavator Operator to perform efficient loading operations at their Mamatwan mine. The ideal candidate will have experience in surface mining and possess the necessary excavator licenses. Join a team that values safety and productivity as you help to maintain vital mining operations. Applications close on 30 September 2025.

Qualifications

• Experience in surface mining operations.
• Excavator skills within a surface mining operation.

Responsibilities

• Dig, clean, and load Overburden or Manganese using an Excavator.
• Monitor the high wall for cracks and loose hangings.
• Ensure safety while loading and unloading materials.

Skills

Mining production exposure

Excavator skills

Education

Grade 12 for external candidates

Grade 10 for internal candidates

Equipment license excavator Liebherr 9400, CAT 6030 & CAT 390

Valid driver's license

Job description

Overview

DISCOVER ABRIGHTERFUTURE:

At South32, we’re meeting the challenge of enabling a sustainable future through our focus on responsibly producing commodities critical for a low-carbon world.

As a collaborative, caring and inclusive company, there’s no better place to make a genuine difference. Together we’re making a positive, global impact that has the potential to change lives.

Whatever career path you choose, we’ll support you every step of the way to learn, grow and succeed. So, join us, step towards a brighter future and leave your legacy.

About Mamatwan

The South Africa Manganese operation can be found in the manganese rich Kalahari Basin, in the country’s Northern Cape, which is home to 80 per cent of the world\'s manganese. This position is based at our open-cut Mamatwan mine which started operating more than half a century ago.

The Role

This role is a permanent full-time position.

As an Operator Excavator, you will be responsible to dig, clean, remove and load Overburden or Manganese from the applicable bench and high wall onto haulers by means of an Excavator, leaving only a safety and catchment berm in place. Side casting may also be required as a secondary activity.

Other key responsibilities include, but aren’t limited to:

• Effective and efficient excavator operations depends on a very specific skill and experience and an excavator operator is a critical skill required in a team to unlock productivity of the fleet;
• Excavators are the Primary loading equipment at Mamatwan and is the critical operation to achieve overburden and ore budget volumes;
• Safe and effective excavator operations determine and unlock productive loading and hauling rates;
• Control the area where loading is taking place. Excavator operator must give permission for any person or equipment to enter the loading area, including the haulers within the applicable cycle;
• Loading of haulers as per instruction and allocation, either Overburden or ROM material;
• Inform the hauler operator regarding the quality of the load and the applicable dumping allocation;
• Inform the hauler operator to dump poor quality Manganese as waste and stockpile good quality Manganese as ore;
• Continuously monitor the high wall for cracks and loose hangings. Safely remove these bad hangings or loose rocks from the high wall. If not possible or high risk, inform the supervisor;
• Remove and clean spoils or materials from the high wall;
• Continuously construct a catchment berm as per standard along the toe of the high wall;
• Continuously construct a safety berm as per standard along the crest of the bench, 3 meters from the edge;
• Ensure continuous judgement of the loading elevation to prevent excessive undulation of the floor and damages to the bucket;
• Ensure continuous compliance to the excavator loading pad construction standard and position of the excavator on top of the loading pad;
• Ensure continuous compliance of the loading sequence of a hauler – number of loads, placement of loads and fill factor of the hauler bowl

About you

You will have experience and demonstrate capability in the following:

• Must have mining production exposure in surface mining operations;
• Excavator skills within a Surface mining operation.

Qualifications for this role are:

• External Candidates: Grade 12;
• Internal Candidates: Grade 10;
• Equipment license excavator Liebherr 9400, CAT 6030 & CAT 390;
• Valid drivers license.

South32 is committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate. We provide a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible for all and we encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

Please apply online by entering the preferred position reference number on our website careers.south32.net

This advertisement will close on 30 September 2025.