Thungela CEO July Ndlovu on finding his passion for mining and bringing the best out in people

Stephen Grootes interviews the outgoing CEO of Thungela Resources, July Ndlovu, on the Money Show's Shapeshifter slot. 

July Ndlovu, born in rural Zimbabwe or then-Rhodesia, built his career into becoming one of South Africa's most successful coal-mining executives.

The outgoing CEO of Thungela Resources credits the quality of education he received at mission schools as 'the ticket for changing your circumstance' for people like himself.

Parachuted from that environment to studying at Columbia University in the US, Ndlovu discovered the world in his classmates from many countries and how to become the best version of himself.

"I hold the view that the Rhodesian government did one thing right for the black population; they never denied us quality education all the way into independence and when Robert Mugabe came in, the two things that he prioritised were education and free health...  so I was really lucky to have been born where I was born."

July Ndlovu, Outgoing CEO - Thungela Resources

"The journey to Columbia was an interesting one for a young person who grew up in the circumstances I did. You're never really sure how good you can be until you get to a place like Columbia where you get to mix with colleagues from all over the world.... and all of a sudden you begin to understand what world-class leadership looks like but also actually realise 'I belong, I can be just as good as the next guy'."

July Ndlovu, Outgoing CEO - Thungela Resources

It was at Columbia that Ndlovu discovered his passion for mining, switching his course to metallurgy from medicine.

He's actually a failed medical student, he quips.

"Somewhere in that first semester I met a senior executive from Anglo American in Zimbabwe. He started to talk about mining and the things you can do in mining, the difference you can make for communities, the role that metals and minerals actually play in the story of humanity... so I just switched immediately!"

July Ndlovu, Outgoing CEO - Thungela Resources

"I'd found my passion."

July Ndlovu, Outgoing CEO - Thungela Resources

Ndlovu says he's been fortunate enough to move into a leadership position early in his career.

Suddenly being asked to get the best out of other people is a transition young people are not prepared for very well, he comments.

To be a leader, you first have to be a good follower, is his belief.

"This idea of taking people along with you irrespective of what field it is whether politics or business, and realising in fact that they CHOOSE to follow. When you stand in front of people with an idea you want them to buy into, always remember that they are making a choice as to whether this is an idea they're willing to give their very best to realise, or not."

July Ndlovu, Outgoing CEO - Thungela Resources

"The other thing about leadership that I learned over the last three decades and a bit, is to realise what delivers difference. Whatever the field, delivering good results actually is about realising we're not short of good ideas. In fact you can hire a consulting organisation and they'll give you brilliant ideas but the one thing they'll never give you is how to translate those ideas into results, which is executing."

July Ndlovu, Outgoing CEO - Thungela Resources

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