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BOBBY GODSELL & NAP MAYER
The attention of the business community is fixed on the recent changes at the top of Anglo American Corp's gold division. This fascination derives as much from Anglo's dominance of the economy as it does from its commanding position as the world's biggest single producer of new gold each year.
And the responsibility for running this operation -- down to five mines (because of mergers), employing 162 000 men and women through 35 shafts and 18 metallurgical plants and producing 240 t of gold in 1994 -- now rests firmly in the hands of recently appointed division deputy chairman and CE Robert (Bobby) Godsell (43) and MD Napoleon (Nap) Mayer (53).
The new management arrangement, announced only last week, is the culmination of a long period of growing concern at the perceived poor performance of Anglo's gold mines. Rumours of significant and fundamental differences of opinion, management style and approach between Mayer and division chairman and Anglo executive director Clem Sunter gathered pace and intensity. They came to a head within days of the release of quarterly results for Anglo's gold mines which showed the extent of slippage at its largest mine, Freegold, where profits plunged to a loss of R1m from the previous quarter's profit of R68m.
Asked for comment about this, Godsell's diplomatic answer is that there are always tensions in great corporations and one-on-one relationships are often difficult to interpret. But he confirms that, despite this unease, once news that the position was available filtered through, he actively sought the job. The FM learns that Godsell's selection did not meet with universal acceptance in the Anglo executive because some senior directors believed a technical man should have been appointed.
Just how Godsell and Mayer fit together over the next few years won't be merely of consuming interest to observers -- the future of SA's greatest industry, now clearly seen to be gravely ill, is at stake. And the two men couldn't be more different in their backgrounds, style, approach and, probably, in the values they consider paramount.
Godsell first attracted press attention with the release of a book in July 1988 co-edited by him (with Boston University sociology professor Peter Berger): A Future SA -- Visions, Strategies and Realities. There are only two ways a ruling group can be induced to relinquish (political) control -- it can be coerced or it can be seduced -- is the book's underlying theme. Given Godsell's new role, this is an aspect worthy of passing reflection. A year later, in 1989, he was appointed an Anglo director.
Born in Boksburg, Godsell grew up in Durban and took a BA degree at Natal University in sociology and philosophy followed by an MA in liberal ethics at the University of Cape Town and then postgraduate studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. He joined Anglo in 1974 and has since been strongly associated with the formation and implementation of its employment practices policies.
Indeed, it is this concentration in labour matters which underlines the principal reason for his new appointment -- but which also attracts concentrated criticism.
"His problem," says an observer, "and therefore Anglo's, too, is that he has no operational, hands-on experience of running a business. Nor is he even remotely equipped to come to grips with a technological industry like deep-level gold mining."
But operational direction and technology decisions will be expected to be provided by Mayer, the unusually loquacious mine manager and gold division technical supremo, who deadpans: "I was born in 1941 and appointed MD last year. You can skip out the bit in the middle."
Mayer was born and brought up in Klerksdorp, took a BSc in mining engineering at Wits in 1967 and joined Anglo at Welkom gold mine in 1968.
And he has been a high-flyer in an industry which disapproves of men who move through the ranks at a rate even marginally fast. Mayer's first contact with Godsell came in the mid-Seventies when both were involved in formulating labour strategy for the division. In 1978, Mayer took over as manager at South Vaal, the first of a number of mines which had to be turned around.
"I have become a turn-around specialist," he says. "First it was South Vaal, then Freegold, then Vaal Reefs a few years later."
If this is true, his greatest task, turning round the division as a whole, now awaits.
Godsell is strongly committed to free market principles and the free enterprise ethic. Inevitably, then, this will mean clashes with those who espouse socialist-related philosophies. And Godsell's reputation as a tough bargainer precedes him.
"Derek Keys once paid (then NUM leader) Cyril Ramaphosa the ultimate in compliments," he says. "He called him an adversary of stature. That's how I would like to be remembered."
And, yes, Godsell does believe the never-ending relationship between unions and managers has adversarial overtones. "These are aspects I welcome. The society I want to live in must be characterised by difference and debate. But I am also anxious to bring benefits to all stakeholders, not least capital providers. Circumstances have changed. I can help provide new visions."
This is in line with Mayer. "When you play the game successfully," he says, "you have to understand that the rules change promptly. We have to move to the next field with as little disruption as possible."
Mayer is married and has a son and three daughters. He enjoys golf but is resigned to a hacking status.
Godsell, who has three daughters, plays squash and is an avid collector of detective stories. Stakeholders will hope he finds his new job elementary.
David Gleason
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