Anglo American’s commitment to diversity and transformation in the workplace is evident in the company employing the first deaf chartered accountant in the country.

The twenty-five-year old Durban-born, Kashveera Chanderjith, who was diagnosed from a young age with sensi-neural (nerve) deafness, joined Anglo American as an internal auditor at Business Assurance Service department in 2012.  In this role, Chanderjith is responsible for dealing with risk, ethics, governance, forensics, and internal audits.

Lindiwe Zikhali, head of Anglo American’s Transformation and Regulatory Affairs, notes that the company’s employment of Chanderjith is consistent with its overall transformation aspirations.

"Anglo American is committed to creating a diverse company culture in which we accept and celebrate people’s differences, and go beyond legislation in offering opportunities to worthy individuals from marginalised communities."

Chanderjith has had to overcome numerous odds to obtain success, having been diagnosed with her hearing impairment, when she was two years old. Her parents subsequently decided to teach her the oral method of communication, rather than sign language.

She spent many long hours learning words, pronunciation and undergoing speech therapy, and was then sent to Stellawood Primary (now Durban Primary) where she learnt the aural-oral method of communication  from the school’s dedicated partial hearing unit.

This method involves the use of lip reading and facial expressions in order to make sense of conversations. Chanderjith then moved on to Crawford College, where she matriculated with five distinctions, including English and Afrikaans.

She subsequently studied at the University of KwaZulu-Natal where she obtained her Bachelor of Commerce degree, becoming the University’s first ever deaf graduate.

Chanderjith then went on to complete her honours in accounting science through UNISA, and before joining Anglo American in March, she served her articles at Deloitte to qualify as a chartered accountant.

She notes that her colleagues at Anglo American have been supportive during her employment, and have taken cognisance of her special needs, in line with Anglo American policy of inclusiveness.

Despite her handicap, Chanderjith still finds time to inspire and help others realise their potential, and owing to her various initiatives, she was recently nominated as a finalist in the Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year competition.

Further, she also had a hand in the formation of the Woodhurst Multicultural Centre, which serves a variety of needs, from soup kitchens and blanket drives to sewing classes and medical clinics.

“With September being recognised as Deaf Awareness Month, Chanderjith’s story teaches us that living with a disability should not be a barrier that stops us from realising our full potential,” concludes Zikhali.

Ends

For further information, please contact:

South Africa

Hulisani Rasivhaga, Media Relations
Tel: +27 (0)11 638 4401

Editor’s Notes:

About Anglo American:
Anglo American is one of the world’s largest mining companies, is headquartered in the UK and listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. Anglo American’s portfolio of mining businesses spans bulk commodities – iron ore and manganese, metallurgical coal and thermal coal; base metals – copper and nickel; and precious metals and minerals – in which it is a global leader in both platinum and diamonds.  Anglo American is committed to the highest standards of safety and responsibility across all its businesses and geographies and to making a sustainable difference in the development of the communities around its operations. The company’s mining operations, extensive pipeline of growth projects and exploration activities span southern Africa, South America, Australia, North America, Asia and Europe.
www.angloamerican.com