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WESCOAL HOLDINGS LIMITED - Business continuity and management plans to counter the spread of COVID-19

Release Date: 25/03/2020 10:48
Code(s): WSL     PDF:  
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Business continuity and management plans to counter the spread of COVID-19

WESCOAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa
(Registration number 2005/006913/06)
Share code: WSL
ISIN: ZAE000069639
(“Wescoal” or "the Company")

BUSINESS CONTINUITY AND MANAGEMENT PLANS TO COUNTER THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

Following the President’s announcement of a 21-day nationwide lockdown which comes into effect
at midnight on Thursday, Wescoal deemed it appropriate to provide an update on the steps it has
taken to minimise the spread of COVID-19, the Company’s operational status, as well as our business
continuity plans for the lockdown period.

Coal producers and power stations are included as essential service in South Africa and are to remain
operational. Additionally, Wescoal supplies coal to other essential services like hospitals through our
Trading Business. By virtue of this, it is an essential service-provider in the electricity and energy
space.

While core, essential functions in the organisation will be required to continue working throughout
the lockdown, the Company has undertaken to act responsibly and to do its part in preventing further
spread of the virus, by implementing business continuity measures together with its mining
contractors across the breadth of its operations. These include controls and protocols to ensure the
health and safety of all staff on our sites, without any business interruptions using technologies to
facilitate operational and head office meetings and to work remotely as appropriate, including;

•   Support functions will be required to work remotely as well as alternate shifts as required.
•   Inter-provincial travellers will be required to work remotely from home.
•   Critical meetings will only take place online and non-critical meetings will be cancelled.
•   Formal plans with contractors addressing COVID-19 preventative measures including sanitization
    and hygiene best-practices to be implemented immediately

Additionally, we are keeping in frequent and close contact with Eskom which represents a majority
of our production and supply. Eskom has confirmed the status of Wescoal as an essential services
provider in the electricity generation value chain, and specifically requested the continuity and
uninterrupted supply of Wescoal’s contracted coal to its power stations during the national lockdown
period.

The unfolding COVID-19 events are unchartered territory for all of us and we therefore assure
shareholders and the market, that our actions will be based on the best interest of the country and
that we will align with the National Government guidelines as they evolve.

The management team will also be engaging on a daily basis to ensure that risks are managed
timeously as they arise. The executive committee will continue taking advice from relevant
organisations, including the National Department of Health and the Department of Minerals
Resources and Energy as well as key strategic stakeholders to manage the business through the
coming months. We will also continue to monitor the effectiveness of our actions within prevailing
conditions and we will appropriately respond as conditions change and more information becomes
available.

25 March 2020

Sponsor
Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking

Investor Relations
Singular IR

Date: 25-03-2020 10:48:00
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