The Sam Tambani Research Institute (SATRI) was conceptualised and established in 2012 to fulfil a need to consolidation of National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) efforts.
The institute empowers workers by improving their livelihoods and ensure that workers received a fair share of what they produce in their various fields.
A Public Benefit Non-profit Company, SATRI was tasked with gathering and analysing information through targeted research. The SATRI then uses this information to inform and assist NUM communities on various issues including health, economic advancement, politics, education, poverty, housing, retraining and reskilling.
Today, SATRI is responsible for providing detailed analysis on national and emerging international policies and on contemporary issues that could or do affect workers, their families or communities or any issues that impact the efficacy of NUM in fulfilling its mandate.
SATRI a leading research partner to the community. It also boasts secondary objectives that extend outside and far beyond NUM requirements. The results of research conducted by the institute are often shared in wider society to secure constructive input or to influence opinions.
SATRI provides mentorship opportunities for young people and novice researchers who are themselves applying research on issues pertaining to NUM members.
Current research brings focus to several important conversations and include:
- Women in Mining, Construction and Energy – research aimed at understanding the specific nature of challenges women face in the three sectors while finding proactive ways to address these as part of the national transformation agenda.
- Worker’s Wages and Remuneration – research aimed at contributing towards the debate on national minimum wage using empirical evidence in the context of persistent and widening income inequality.
- Mining Charter Compliance – research examining the extent to which the objectives of the Mining Charter and the B-BBEE codes have been achieved and how benefits are manifested in the mining sector.
- Green Economy and Jobs – research into the labour aspects of South Africa’s migration to the green economy.
- Mining and the Environment – research aimed at contributing towards effective legislation on mining and the environment.
Due to funding provided by MIC, through MIT, SATRI will be further empowered in delivering guiding and consultative input that could very well change the lives of far more people than expected.
