South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe is expanding his mining portfolio as African Rainbow Minerals announced its involvement in a bid to construct a new manganese export terminal at Ngqura Port in the Eastern Cape.
African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe is bolstering his mining empire as African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) confirmed plans to participate in the development of a new manganese export terminal at Ngqura Port in the Eastern Cape.
The announcement follows ARM’s strong interim results, which saw earnings increase 10% to R8.66 per share, reflecting rising profitability and the financial strength needed to pursue strategic infrastructure initiatives.
ARM, under Motsepe’s leadership, will join the Manganese Producers Consortium (MPC) as a joint venture partner with Transnet for the Ngqura Manganese Ore Export Terminal. Other major mining participants include South32, Anglo American, and Tshipi é Ntle Manganese Mining (controlled by Exxaro Resources).
South Africa possesses roughly three-quarters of the world’s known manganese-ore reserves, concentrated mainly in the Kalahari Basin of the Northern Cape. Over 85% of this manganese is exported as raw ore or partially processed concentrate, giving the country 36% of the global seaborne manganese trade and putting significant pressure on rail and port infrastructure.
According to Moneyweb, Transnet plans to retire the Port Elizabeth manganese terminal, which handles 5.5 million tons annually, and move exports to Ngqura, a new hub with an initial capacity of 16 million tons per year. The terminal could eventually expand to 22 million tons. Transnet is also collaborating with the private sector to upgrade the rail corridor from the Northern Cape to Ngqura to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with growing export volumes.
The Ngqura terminal will provide ARM with a crucial platform for exporting manganese to global markets, reinforcing the company’s strategic position in South Africa’s mining industry.
This expansion complements ARM’s existing portfolio, which includes stakes in platinum group metals (PGMs) through joint ventures with Anglo American at the Modikwa Mine and Impala Platinum at Two Rivers. Strong PGM prices helped propel platinum headline earnings up 200% to R704 million, while basic earnings rose 69% year-on-year to R2.35 billion, aided by proceeds from the sale of ARM’s Sakura manganese processing facility and control over the Nkomati nickel mine.
Despite challenges in ARM’s ferrous and coal segments, the company maintained a R5-per-share interim dividend and net cash of R8.46 billion, highlighting Motsepe’s ability to balance strategic expansion with shareholder returns.
The manganese export terminal also aligns with South Africa’s policy push for greater domestic participation in mining. Government initiatives are increasingly supporting local stakeholders, allowing companies like ARM to capture a larger portion of mineral export revenue, strengthen local employment, and promote downstream beneficiation projects.
As global demand for manganese grows, driven by steel production and battery manufacturing, ARM’s involvement ensures a greater share of profits remains in South Africa while enhancing the country’s industrial infrastructure.
Through this strategic investment, Motsepe is expanding both the scale and reach of his mining empire, consolidating his status as Africa’s leading mining billionaire.
By leveraging strong existing assets and tapping into high-potential manganese exports, he is positioning ARM and South Africa at the center of a rapidly growing global mineral supply chain.