Johannesburg – Anglo American on Friday handed over its iconic 45 Main Street building, which is situated in the Johannesburg central business district (CBD), to the Maharishi Invincibility Institute.
The Maharishi Invincibility Institute is a leading non-profit private education institution dedicated to empowering underprivileged youth in the inner city and surrounds.
The building, which forms part of the companys former Johannesburg CBD Campus, will allow the institute to extend its impact, benefitting up to 3 000 youth more than doubling the number of students it can support.
The Institute focuses on access to on-the-job training for students and actively works to help graduates secure sustainable jobs at some of the countrys leading corporates.
This model and the support of The Institutes long-standing partners translate to a tangible difference in the lives of talented youth, helping elevate communities.
Education and training are integral to Anglo American’s Sustainable Mining Plan, which commits the company to a holistic range of ambitious goals that are shaping how our stakeholders experience our business.
These include how we can best create Thriving Communities by focusing on better health, education, and employment opportunities.
Furthermore, this initiative forms part of the Anglo Americans drive to play a meaningful role, along with several public and private stakeholders, in the regeneration of the Johannesburg CBD.
Nolitha Fakude, Chairman of Anglo Americans Management Board, said: We firmly believe that Johannesburg’s inner-city regeneration hinges on nurturing the potential of its young people, who represent the city’s future.
“The Maharishi Invincibility Institute has emerged as a driving force in paving pathways to opportunities for thousands of young people in the inner city.
“It fills us with great pride to entrust them with the custodianship of the iconic 45 Main Street – a building that holds deep historical significance in Johannesburg’s evolution.
Looking beyond this, we are thrilled by the strides made in the last two years through collaborative efforts with various stakeholders.
Together, we have crafted a shared vision for Johannesburg’s renewal, culminating in establishing the Johannesburg CBD Coalition – a platform where the Maharishi Invincibility Institute also actively participates.
This coalition serves as a powerful catalyst for change, fostering synergy among like-minded organisations, pooling their collective expertise, resources, and insights to forge a cohesive and actionable blueprint for the city’s rejuvenation.
Since its inception in 2007, the Maharishi Invincibility Institute has offered critical skills training to over 19,000 youth most of whom were young black women -boasting a 90+% job placement rate.
Dr. Taddy Blecher, CEO of the Maharishi Invincibility Institute, said: Our relationship with Anglo American is longstanding and has evolved over the decades, growing from strength to strength”.
Blecher added: “This is a company that has always understood the importance of investing in the next generation and continues to take its role in catalysing meaningful societal change very seriously.
Through the donation of 45 Main Street, the Institute will continue to further its mission of developing a new generation of competent leaders right here in Johannesburgs inner city.
“We are deeply grateful to Anglo American for their long-term and profound vision.
“Through our intense focus on getting youth into quality jobs, based on scarce-skills development, and on doing this in a holistic and sustainable way, we truly believe that if more companies, organisations, and the government come together to tackle the city’s challenges, we can help secure a more productive future for all.
“By entrenching ourselves in the CBD, we want to play a more active part in making the inner-city a more attractive and safer place to live, work, and thrive.
Anglo American said it continues to explore possibilities for the adaptive use of the rest of its historic Johannesburg CBD Campus, with several potential partners and collaborators involved to help develop the campus into a mixed-use and vibrant precinct.
Themba Mkhwanazi, Anglo Americans Regional Director for Africa and Australia, concluded: When we look at the immense challenges that cities like Johannesburg face, they often mirror the challenges of our entire nation.
“As responsible corporate citizens, our duty goes beyond simply pointing out problems; we must actively engage and contribute to the solutions. That’s the driving force behind the formation of the Johannesburg CBD Coalition.
“All of its members wholeheartedly recognise the scale of challenges that the inner city faces, including crime, inadequate infrastructure, rampant unemployment, and limited socio-economic opportunities.
“It’s truly inspiring to see the Maharishi Invincibility Institute and other organisations joining hands with us, ready to roll up their sleeves and work together.
We stand united, determined to bring about positive change in the heart of the inner-city and forging partnerships for South Africas success so that we can collaboratively tackle the challenges that hinder us.”
Mkhwanazi said the collaboration was not just about uplifting the inner city but it was equally focused on stimulating socio-economic development and tackling the youth unemployment crisis.
“Together, we aim to create a better future, where the inner-city becomes a safer, thriving, empowering place for all its residents particularly its young people brimming with opportunities for growth and prosperity, said Mkhwanazi.
