Tomas has more than 12 years’ experience in open pit hard rock mining. He has led in various capacities within mining spanning from drilling, blasting, planning (short & long term) and production management. He is currently serving as a production superintendent at Swakop Uranium, where he is responsible for leading and managing a large team of various disciplines within the mining operation.
Amanda Hefer is a metallurgist with over two decades of experience, particularly in metallurgical laboratories and refineries. She currently serves as the Senior Manager of Metallurgical Services at Rand Refinery (Pty) Ltd, where she has held various positions since July 2008.
Throughout her tenure, she has achieved numerous milestones, including the establishment of a state-of-the-art metallurgical laboratory. She aimed to set up a comprehensive facility that encompasses all fields of metallurgy related to refining and fabrication processes. Her efforts in implementing cutting-edge equipment and technologies led to higher technical standards and accelerated understanding in these areas.
While continually contributing to the industry, she actively participates in industry conferences and research, shares her knowledge and insights with peers, and mentors the next generation of engineers. Amanda is dedicated to fostering a technologically advanced and collaborative environment in the workplace and building relationships with tertiary institutions for technical and academic input within the metallurgy field
Thandekile Nsimbi is an accomplished Performance Improvement Manager at Impala Platinum’s PGM smelter with nearly two decades of experience in mining and metallurgy. She is a qualified Metallurgical Engineer with extensive expertise in production management, operational excellence, process optimisation, and continuous improvement.
Her career spans leadership roles across leading organisations such as Impala Platinum, Jubilee Metals, Afarak Mogale, Samancor, and Arcelor Mittal, where she has successfully driven strategic initiatives, resource optimisation, and efficiency improvements in smelter and plant operations.
She has served in committee and council roles including the Furnace Council Committee, FRCP Steering Committee (Hazardous Materials Champion), and the Process Improvement Council, reflecting her strong industry presence and contribution to advancing metallurgical practices.
Thandekile holds a BSc (Hons) Applied Science in Metallurgy (University of Pretoria), a BTech in Metallurgical Engineering (TUT), and a National Diploma in Extraction Metallurgy (UJ), complemented by executive training at GIBS and professional certifications such as Six Sigma Green Belt. She is currently studying towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration at GIBS, further strengthening her strategic management and leadership skills.
Recognised for her leadership, problem-solving ability, and technical expertise, she is passionate about fostering a culture of excellence, safety, and sustainability in metallurgical operations. Her vision is to drive innovation and deliver long-term value in the mining and metals sector.
Pieter Pistorius was born in, what is now known as Modimolle, in the Limpopo Province. He studied at the University of Pretoria and at Sheffield University. He attained a PhD degree in Phase Transformation Behaviour of 12% Cr Steels at the University of Pretoria. He held various positions in the manufacturing industry before joining the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Pretoria for a second time in 2015. He is responsible for undergraduate, and postgraduate teaching and research in welding engineering. He is a Fellow of the SAIMM, a registered professional metallurgical engineer, and an international welding engineer.
