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Mike Teke, CEO of Seriti Resources and one of South Africa’s most influential Black business leaders, is driving a R19 million ($1.1 million) investment in early childhood development through the Seriti Power Community Trust.
The program, which focuses on Mpumalanga and the Free State, reflects Teke’s belief that meaningful change starts with education. It is designed to strengthen school readiness, reduce dropout risks, and help children in mining communities build literacy, numeracy, and social skills from an early age.
Seriti Trust expands access to early learning
To date, seven centers have been constructed, furnished, and equipped to accommodate up to 750 children, with 543 already enrolled. Thirty-one trained practitioners now provide structured learning and cognitive support in safe, well-resourced spaces. Each center includes classrooms, administration blocks, and outdoor play areas.
The initiative is in line with South Africa’s National Integrated ECD Policy and the Children’s Act, while also contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education and the National Development Plan 2030. It goes further than education by training caregivers, creating jobs, and offering safe environments for young children.
“At Seriti, we believe meaningful change begins in the earliest years of life. This investment in early childhood development is not just about the buildings themselves; it’s about creating opportunities for children to learn, grow, and thrive,” said Mike Teke, CEO of Seriti Resources.
Seriti’s broader community-driven impact
The Seriti Power Community Trust, alongside employee trusts, holds 5 percent ownership in Seriti’s operations. These vehicles have been designed to fund social investments in healthcare, housing, education, and essential services across mining regions.
Seriti, 92.76 percent co-owned by five leading black shareholders through Mike Teke’s Masimong Group, Thebe Investment Corporation, Zungu Investments (Zico), and Community Investment Holdings (CIH), produces about 50 million metric tons of coal annually, supplying roughly a third of Eskom’s needs.
Coal producer invests in children’s future
Since its formation in 2017 through the acquisition of Anglo American’s coal assets, Seriti has deepened its community engagement, including a R6.5 million ($0.37 million) donation of vehicles to the South African Police Service in Emalahleni. The 2021 acquisition of South Africa Energy Coal from South32 further entrenched Seriti’s role as a key player in the sector.
With the $1.1 million ECD investment, Teke underscores his vision of coupling Seriti’s industrial footprint with long-term social development, positioning education as central to breaking cycles of poverty in mining communities.
