Phakamisa is stronger together

Husband and wife team Andre and Mari Retha Nel have moved to Fochville and are an integral part of the Phakamisa family.

Husband and wife team Andre and Mari Retha Nel have moved to Fochville and are an integral part of the Phakamisa family.

Founded by Gawie Vermaak in 2007 and later led by his brother Frikkie Vermaak, Phakamisa Hard Rock Mining (formerly trading as Phakamisa Logistics) is not only a force to be reckoned with but is also a thriving family business.

Phakamisa’s values of honesty, integrity, loyalty and respect filter down from management and form the foundation of their business culture. The company believes in fostering long-lasting relationships both within the mining industry and internally amongst staff members. 

“Phakamisa is a family-oriented company and makes you feel right at home,” said Mari Retha Nel, one of Phakamisa’s administration clerks. 

Mari Retha began working at Phakamisa in October 2015 after she and her family moved to Fochville. Before joining the mining company, Mari Retha was a Debtors Clerk at Ermelo Toyota. 

“My husband, Andre, started working for Phakamisa and during the first six months, he drove up and down between Ermelo and Fochville. We later decided that myself and the kids should move with him to Fochville – our family needed to be together.”

The move to Fochville involved sacrifice and was a big change as Mari Retha had resided in Ermelo all her life. During this period, Mari Retha had to navigate being unemployed for the first time since leaving school. Fortunately, she was soon given the opportunity to join Phakamisa. 

As Phakamisa began to grow and flourish, the company required assistance with varying office duties and offered the position to Mari Retha who was available to start working immediately. Working as an administration clerk, she undertook administrative duties and captured machine hours. 

“Luckily I adapted to our new life quickly and I now see Fochville as my true hometown,” said Mari Retha. “I’m grateful to Phakamisa for investing in us and for giving us the opportunity to become part of the family.” Mari Retha seeks to continually sharpen her skills for her own self-improvement and for the sake of Phakamisa’s advancement. 

Phakamisa’s vision to deliver exceptional results and customer service is a mission that each employee works toward. Without the myriad of strengths within the larger workforce, this undertaking would be impossible to achieve. As a close-knit group of people, Phakamisa prides themselves on being a stronger force together. 

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