Glencore Ferroalloys’ Boshoek and Wonderkop Smelters partnered with North-West Cricket to support young, female local cricket players from the North-West Province.
Through the sponsorship, Glencore aims to expand and support advocacy for women’s sports in communities near their operations. The objective of the sponsorship reaffirms Glencore’s commitment to transformation through inclusivity and equality, fostering environments conducive to success in its workplace and communities.
The Boshoek and Wonderkop Smelters officially launched their title sponsorship and cricket jersey reveal at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Tuesday, 21 March 2023. The day was spent cheering on South Africa in their match against the West Indies, and following South Africa’s thrilling victory, Glencore officially revealed the ‘Glencore Dragons’ as the new name of the sponsored women’s cricket team.
“Our partnership with North-West Cricket, which takes pride in supporting the Glencore Dragons, exemplifies Glencore’s commitment to ensuring that transformation and equality exists not only in mining but also in the communities in which we operate. The true value of this partnership lies in its ability to give women a platform to amplify their voices and break down gender barriers and discrimination through sport. We are honoured to be here today to support the Glencore Dragons; we are behind you all the way,” said Fatima Hayat, Human Resource Manager of Wonderkop Smelter.
The sponsorship by the operations will cover all activities for the Glencore Dragons Women’s team to ensure they can focus on a successful cricket season.
The General Manager of Boshoek Smelter, Riaan Cilliers, congratulated the Glencore Dragons and encouraged them to continue to always focus on the end goal.
“This is the first step to investing in the development of women’s sports in our communities, and our hope for this partnership is to create long-term sustainability that will be successful for future generations to come. To the team, strive to make a difference wherever you go and always remember to remain humble, even as your career progresses. We are proud to be supporting such a talented team, and we look forward to seeing more of your accomplishments through investments like these,” said Cilliers.
Supporting women’s sport in rural communities provides opportunities to effect social, economic, and environmental change, as well as contribute to sustainable development, social cohesion, and even challenge mind sets and prejudice in the sporting environment.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer for North-West Cricket, Ismail Minty, said, “We rejoice for our team, which will now be called the Glencore Dragons. That is indeed something to take pleasure in because it is a stamp of trust in the teams’ abilities. Women’s cricket has taken off, and partnerships like these reflect the efforts taken to make sure that it grows to new heights. Thank you, Glencore, we look forward to a fruitful partnership with you.”
The partnership officially kicked off on 21 March 2023 and will run for the rest of the cricket season through to 2024.
