Issued by Harmony Gold
Mining Company Limited
15 March 2012
For more details contact:
Graham Briggs
Chief Executive Officer
+27 (0) 83 265 0274 (mobile)
Marian van der Walt
Executive: Corporate and
Investor Relations
+27 (0) 82 888 1242 (mobile)
Corporate Office:
Randfontein Office Park
P O Box 2
Randfontein
South Africa 1760
T +27 (11) 411 2000
www.harmony.co.za
JSE:
HAR
NYSE:
HMY
ISIN No.: ZAE000015228
Registration number:
1950/038232/06
Harmony announces Employee Share Ownership Plan
More than 33,000 employees to become shareholders
Johannesburg. Thursday, 15 March 2012. Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited
(‘Harmony’ or the ‘Company’) today announced the launch of its employee share ownership
plan (ESOP) which will see approximately 33,000 employees participating in a direct
ownership of the company.
The ESOP is an equity-settled share incentive and share appreciation rights scheme, in
terms of which 4,288,000 ordinary shares in the share capital of the Company at par value
and 8,576,000 share appreciation rights have been offered to these 33,000 Harmony
employees.
Says Harmony Chief Executive Officer, Graham Briggs, “It is with great excitement that we
announce the launch of Harmony’s ESOP, a venture that recognises the importance of the
employees who sustain our business. They are, in essence, our ‘human gold’. This plan not
only benefits our employees, but has also demonstrated and enhanced the Company’s
close relationships with our unions. We look forward to reporting on the success of the plan
going forward, as we share a common interest in delivering returns to all stakeholders.”
Frans Baleni, National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) General Secretary, is pleased with the
outcome of Harmony’s ESOP process: “NUM believes each and every employee at
Harmony to be deserving of a portion of the success to which they contribute. I’m pleased at
the Company’s acknowledgement of this fact. NUM’s relationship with Harmony spans many
years and will continue to grow as we strive to promote the interests of our members and
protect their rights.” He also emphasized that it was time that due recognition was provided
for the sterling contributions of its members.
Based on the number of shares in issue on 31 December 2011, the Harmony shares
available for issue in terms of the ESOP may account for ownership of approximately 2.9%
of the Company. Harmony’s black economic empowerment (BEE) status is thus further
enhanced.
In 2010, Harmony first engaged with the NUM, UASA and Solidarity over the proposed
ESOP, offering a minimum of 100 ordinary shares per employee at full market value, vesting
in equal annual amounts of 20 shares over a five-year period. The Company also offered to
allocate a minimum of 200 share appreciation rights per employee at market value, vesting
in equal annual amounts of 40 share appreciation rights over a five-year period. The
proposed ESOP was approved by Harmony shareholders in December 2010 via the
Harmony Employees’ Share Trust.