Kumba Iron Ore awarded top honours in Sunday Times Top 100 Companies awards

Kumba Iron Ore’s transition in 2018 to a value-focused business has paid off, with the group reaching the top spot in the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies awards, from third place last year.

The awards, which were held virtually on Thursday night, are sponsored by BCX and acknowledge listed companies that earned the highest returns for their stakeholders over the past five years.

Vestra Advisory researched and compiled the results.

Kumba CEO Themba Mkhwanazi said ahead of the award ceremony: “To deliver on our purpose of reimagining mining to improve people’s lives, we are changing the way we mine. We’re developing the future of sustainable mining through our FutureSmart Mining strategy, which is focused on technology, digitalisation and sustainability.”

In second place was Montauk Renewables and in third place Anglo American Platinum.

Sunday Times editor S’thembiso Msomi said that under circumstances that have challenged the South African economy over the past 18 months, the Top 100 Companies Awards are a much-needed opportunity to shine a light on the determination of the private sector in contributing to SA’s bottom-line.

“Were it not for the concerted efforts and innovations brought about in a relatively short space of time – across all sectors as we’ve had to deal with a new working, business and operational climate – the country would be facing far more dire economic consequences. Private enterprise needs to be applauded for its tenacity,” said Msomi.

Adrian Gore, CEO of Discovery Group, was named as the Business Leader of the Year in recognition of his outstanding leadership in the corporate sector, particularly during the pandemic. 

The Business Leader of the Year award is based on nominations and votes by business leaders. Gore was the Sunday Times Lifetime Achiever in 2010.