Mining in Africa is tough, says Warwick Bouwer, CEO of Jachris. Here he discusses the less visible risks that challenge uptime, safety and operational certainty across the continent’s mine sites.
On a working mine site, equipment is pushed to its limits, and every minute of operation is valuable. But some of the biggest risks aren’t machinery-related; they come from the network of suppliers supporting them.
When hoses, hydraulics, lubrication, fire suppression, fittings and fuel management are handled by different companies, small gaps can form that often show up during handovers, tight schedules, conflicting priorities or missed steps. They may not be obvious at first, but over time they can lead to breakdowns, delays and safety problems.
Recent safety trends in the industry show why these risks matter. Early data for 2025 reveals a 32% increase in fatalities, rising from 25 to 33 deaths, while injuries fell by 11%, from 1 230 to 1 096. While these numbers tell us mines are having fewer minor injuries, they are experiencing more serious incidents that can quickly get out of hand. Transportation and mining machinery incidents went up by 57%, and general incidents like fires and mechanical failures increased by 60% during the same time.
These types of incidents highlight the weak spots where having separate maintenance providers leads to problems in the system.
When maintenance becomes a queue instead of a co-ordinated system
Maintenance teams are always under pressure. When there are many different suppliers, they end up working in a line, each waiting for the other to finish. Each team focuses only on its own tasks, which can make maintenance look finished on paper, but in reality, important checks might be missed.
Sometimes, the lubrication team gets skipped because everything seems fine at first glance, but grease levels can drop too low; or the hose team may be delayed, and a small crimp problem turns into an oil spray that catches fire on a hot turbo. These problems can be avoided, but they still happen at mines that think their maintenance plans are solid. The real issue is a lack of co-ordination, not a lack of skill.
Accountability turns cloudy
When several suppliers are responsible for the same equipment, it’s hard to know who owns what. If a fire is caused by both a hose failure and system fatigue, we get arguments instead of answers. Mines then struggle to enforce standards and find the real causes of problems, and unreported downtime becomes more common.
These delays may not appear in reports, but they hurt productivity and force teams to take a reactive stance rather than a proactive one.
Why hoses and fittings become unexpected failure points
Hydraulic hoses and fittings are some of the simplest parts on a machine, but they often cause the most unexpected stoppages. This is even more of a problem at remote sites where, for example, a cheaper part may seem like a good deal until you have to wait hours for a replacement.
When several suppliers are involved, it’s hard to know who checked what or if anyone has taken responsibility for surrounding systems, resulting in problems that often appear in the areas that are out of sight.
The power of one accountable partner
Having one integrated partner helps close these gaps. When a single team manages the entire maintenance process, access to machines is better organised. Technicians who are trained in multiple areas can handle connected systems as a whole, treating them as a complete system, not just a list of tasks.
This method strengthens accountability, increases transparency and reduces downtime. Safety improves too, since risks are identified sooner and addressed regularly. Mines that use this model see clearer problem-solving, fewer arguments and a maintenance schedule that helps production instead of halting it.
A clearer view through unified data
The next step is to bring data together. When one partner can see information from fire systems, hoses, lubrication, hydraulics and fuel management, they can spot patterns and predict problems more accurately. This kind of insight helps with planning and empowers mines to shift from reacting to problems to preventing them.
A better path for African operations
Of course, mining companies across Africa are looking for more reliable operations, fewer breakdowns and safer workplaces, but having many different suppliers makes these goals harder to achieve.
Working with integrated partners gives mines a clearer, more controlled and more accountable way to manage maintenance. And in an industry where every hour of uptime matters, and safety must be considered a national non-negotiable, the only way to keep operations rock solid is to rely on one partner that owns the whole ecosystem.