Project support is the mainstay of any project and actively supports all the phases of the project from planning through monitoring and control to closing. Our range of project management services include:
Our range of project management services will ensure that your project is scoped and planned correctly, that process controls are in place and critical documentation on hand to guarantee that your project is delivered on time, within budget, according to the scope and as per the quality criteria stipulated.
Project managers and their teams will benefit from our key strengths: team integration, well established methodologies, a disciplined, pro-active approach to monitoring controls, and quality deliverables.
Defining the objectives and scope of a project is the first step to ensuring that projects start out well.
Once this first crucial step is performed, a project is well on its way to success – as the roadmap is unambiguous and all further planning is based on clearly defined goals.
We follow a well-established methodology for planning and developing schedules and work packages. Our schedules are “living documents” which follow the progress of the project using dynamic techniques.
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These techniques not only provides a realistic view of the project, but also ensure that project schedule reporting is relevant and a true reflection of the progress.
We believe in being wholly involved and enmeshed in a project. It is the only way to provide the best service and obtain the desired outcomes.
We are part of the owners / project team and directly support the project manager in reaching the goals of the project.
In order to be most effective, we are on-site with our clients and spend most of our time in direct contact with the project team.
Document management is, and will always remain, a topic of discussion around “what is enough / too much”.
We believe in tailoring our document management offering to the needs and size of the project to ensure efficacy and efficiency, rather than applying the same methodology without regard for the project requirements.
We make use of various platforms for document management, ranging from online hosted platforms to traditional folder structures on the client’s server.
We are passionate about record keeping and document management, and believe that no project can function without it.
As with any discipline, various criteria for managing and delivering projects exist.
We pride ourselves in our internationally accredited staff members who apply best-practice principles to projects and project controls to ensure that projects comply to industry standards and/or client-specific governance.
Project Management Brochure
Project Support Brochure
Project Support (French)
I am led by my future view of having a meaningful impact on businesses' viability and sustainability and finding new opportunity and business potential. My focus and involvement take place on multiple levels of the functional layered model, from the development and alignment of strategy within the environment being operated in, down to the functional level where productivity, optimisation, innovation, quality and human capital sits at the core of product delivery.
My passion and areas of motivation cover innovation, process management and optimisation, human capital productivity and development. This is expanded into business improvement, business rescue, capital excellence, conceptualisation and business case development. I have a profound enthusiasm for project and functional team relationships and team symbiosis, business fundamentals, risk/value design and decision making, concept, pre-feasibility, feasibility studies (FEL1,2,3), and facility planning. I build understanding of real and sustainable value creation vs short term advancement destroying long term value. This I look for in evaluating a total system in contrast to the improvement of individual parts.
My industry operating space is diverse through business and technical acumen, industrial engineering intuition, managerial insight, project thinking, applying fundamental system approaches to problems and solutions. I am comfortable operating in areas such as mining, mineral to market value chain, iron making, manufacturing, logistics, transport, technology, facility layout, aerospace, engineering, asset management, management consulting, small business and information technology. I am a confident communicator with strong interpersonal and analytical skills who thrives on team interaction and shared purpose. I am an adaptable, relentless and articulate project manager with a broad knowledge base, comfortable in interacting with all professional disciplines, across different industries.
Lynsey grew up in Durban and completed her studies in Geology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She moved to Gauteng in 2014 to start her career as a Mining Geologist on the West Wits Goldfields. She worked on three of the world’s deepest mines over a 5-year period before making a career change into Project Management with VBKOM to expand on her skills and expertise. She enjoys learning new skills and combining them with her Mining background to deliver innovative solutions to clients.
In 2019 she decided to pursue her passion for finance and investing and started studying towards gaining the CFA charter. Lynsey enjoys pushing her limits and is always open to new and exciting challenges. She values honesty and loyalty, and her logical and analytical nature means she does not take decision-making lightly.
Lynsey has an adventurous spirit and is very passionate about skydiving. She has been involved in the sport since 2015 and plans to start wingsuiting within the next few months to experience real human flight. She loves to travel with her partner and friends, and has been to several countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia, but still plans to visit the rest of the continents over the next few years. She also loves nature and being out and about, so enjoys hiking and trail running whenever she can.
Shajal is an accomplished Engineer with 8 years of technical experience in the Power Industry. She enjoys using her project management skills to contribute to effective planning and scheduling of a project to ensure that it is well-planned and scheduled for timely completion. She graduated from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering. In 2017 she graduated with an Honors degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Pretoria with a distinction pass. She recently completed a Masters in Engineering Project Management with a distinction from the University of Pretoria. Whilst studying for her Masters, she earned membership into the Golden Key International Society for my exemplary academic performance. She possesses excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to relate well at all levels within an organization. Furthermore,she manages time effectively and prioritises tasks simultaneously whilst remaining flexible to meet changing needs or demands under adverse conditions. Her strengths lie in her ability to solve complex problems whilst maintaining focus on safety and environmental factors .
Karen was born in the quaint little town of Waterval-Boven before moving to Pretoria at the age of six. Karen has a great love for animals and growing up she wanted to own an animal rescue center.
After matriculating from the Hoërskool Oos Moot in Pretoria a family friend introduced her to the mining industry, and she says, “I have loved this industry ever since.” She joined the VBKOM-family in January 2022 and forms part of the Project Management and -Support technical delivery team.
Her deadline-driven, flexibility, and communication skills set the perfect platform for working under pressure and delivering quality project management and -support services to her employers and clients. She strives to create memorable experiences and serve her clients beyond expectations.
Outside of work, Karen and her husband, Brent, enjoy going on road trips on his BMW motorcycle, and one of the most memorable trips they took was to Cape Town. Karen is a proud mom of her two children, her adult son and daughter. She and her husband have five pets which include dogs and birds.
Durbanite Kerryn Taylor joined VBKOM in 2023 as a technical editor. Growing up, Kerryn wanted to pursue a career as a pharmacist and says, “I have always had a passion for science, research, and writing, which led me into the fields of cellular and molecular biology. During my postgraduate degrees, I was actively involved in reviewing and editing research projects for undergraduate, Honours, and Masters students - this is where my passion for editing developed.”
Kerryn holds a PhD in Molecular Biology, which she obtained in 2017 from the University of KwaZulu-Natal; which she also proudly shares as being one of her greatest personal and professional achievements to date. She prides herself on unlocking and adding value in everything she takes on.
To unwind, she loves reading, watching documentaries, and running her fingers over a piano's black and white keys. She also loves travelling around South Africa and takes every opportunity to explore new places. Kerryn claims to be obsessed with cats, and jokingly shares that she and her two cats share their home with her husband.
Estelle is an accomplished Human Resources & Supply Chain Specialist, with extensive experience in Project Management across Mining, AV, HR, SCM. With ND. Public Relations, LEAN (Boston) and PMBok Workshop (CE@UP), combined with 20 years+ experience in IT, AV, Mining industry,.
She has delivered multiple projects: Corporate & Residential AV Projects, HR program, SCM (Mining), IT & Government industry (AV). Starting as HR Specialist, then Procurement Specialist, Mining, moving into AV & IT. She has worked on small / medium projects that have been implemented successfully, managing projects from inception, up to implementation.
"I am always looking forward to contribute to a project, leading, advising & deliver on time, within budget & quality assured."
Duduzile, more fondly known as Dudu, hails from Harare in Zimbabwe. Growing up, she did not have a chosen career path, but she was adamant to focus on doing what brought her the most joy. Dudu has loved mathematics and science since a young age, and this love was fostered by her father, an engineer.
Dudu enrolled for a Bachelor of Engineering degree at the University of Pretoria and graduated with an Industrial Engineering degree in 2017. She furthered her studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering Honours degree in Engineering and Technology Management in 2019 from the University of Pretoria. She is currently enrolled for a Master’s degree in Project Management at the University of Pretoria.
When talking about her studies, she shares that “Getting my undergraduate degree must be one of my greatest achievements thus far. I struggled a lot when I started, but I pushed through, fought past many of my fears, and refused to quit. The degree was for my career, but the great achievement for me was the personal growth and accomplishment that came with it.”
Dudu recently got married, and she enjoys her time off singing and playing the guitar. She is determined to learn how to play other instruments as well.
Namibian-born Jani grew up all over Namibia, and by the age of 11, her family moved to Potchefstroom, and finally to Pretoria. When Jani was younger, she dreamed of becoming a Rally Driver, and shares “I might still become one!”
Jani started at VBKOM in the Project Management department in 2011 and shares, “Providing project management services within the mining industry, has taught me that a can-do attitude, excellence, and innovative solutions make all the difference in our delivery to our clients.”
With the organizational redesign that VBKOM went through and Jani’s great passion for seeing the VBKOM clients’ successes being realised, she made the big decision to pursue the challenges of a Business Development role. She will harness her project management knowledge and skills to identify the possibilities and craft solutions to the benefit of not only the VBKOM clients’ but of the whole of VBKOM.
Outside of the work environment, Jani’s hobbies include crafts, do-it-yourself projects, being outside and extensive gardening, she shares that she has about 200 plants in her greenhouse, of which her orchids are her favourite.
Training Programmes
Tuesday, November 26, 2024 | Chantelle van der Walt
VBKOM delivers another successful Open Pit Mine Planning and Design course in partnership with Enterprises UP. This course equips individuals with the essential skills to excel in the mining industry.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 | Chantelle van der Walt
VBKOM is committed to nurturing young talent in the mining industry. Our bursary program provides financial support and mentorship to promising South African students. In 2024, seven students were awarded bursaries and joined VBKOM for a Heritage Day celebration. By investing in the next generation, VBKOM is shaping a brighter future for the mining industry.
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | Chantelle van der Walt
On 20 and 21 November 2023, final-year Mining Engineering students at the University of Pretoria presented their PSC 411 project dissertations. The module involved industry-assigned projects, with Mr. Wilhelm Warschkuhl and Mr. Brandon Okhuis from VBKOM assisting in evaluating and moderating the presentations.
Thursday, November 23, 2023 | Chantelle van der Walt
VBKOM, in partnership with Enterprises University of Pretoria, created a training solution that focused on the different aspects of the mining value chain.
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 | Chantelle van der Walt
One of the most highly-anticipated events for the VBKOM team is the annual MASUP Year-end Function, and this year attendees were not disappointed. MASUP arranged for the attendees to board the Rovos Rail, where they were transported to a time portrayed in old British and Hollywood movies like “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile”.
Friday, September 8, 2023 | Chantelle van der Walt
VBKOM prides itself on giving back to the community and on helping others to achieve success. We acknowledge the importance of fostering and nurturing talent within the mining sector, viewing it as a prime opportunity for advancing our brand.
Thursday, March 23, 2023 | Chantelle van der Walt
By unearthing opportunities, our solutions have the power to improve lives. This is not only true for our technical solutions but also for how we view our participation in creating a better world, particularly the communities in which we work and live. The #BackToSchool initiative is the second engagement VBKOM and SSM since December 2022.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 | Paul Obermeyer
The University of Pretoria invited VBKOM to participate as guest lecturers for the 2023 final-year undergraduate Mining Engineering students.
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 | Chantelle van der Walt
By unearthing opportunities, our solutions have the power to improve lives. This is not only true for our technical solutions but also for how we view our participation in creating a better world.
Friday, December 9, 2022 | Chantelle van der Walt
The annual Golf Day hosted by the University of Pretoria Department of Mining Engineering (DOME) and in association with the Mining Alumni Society (MASUP) is a well-attended key event for the VBKOM team.