South African miner Daphne Mashile-Nkosi drives manganese expansion in Northern Cape

South African miner Daphne Mashile-Nkosi is scaling up manganese production in the mineral-rich Northern Cape, positioning her company at the center of growing global demand for critical resources used in steelmaking and energy transition technologies.

Mashile-Nkosi, executive chairperson and co-founder of Kalagadi Manganese, oversees operations in the Kalahari Basin, where the company holds mining rights across three farms containing an estimated 960 million tonnes of manganese ore.

Expanding output in strategic mining hub

Production at Kalagadi’s mine in Hotazel, north of Kuruman, is ramping up to about 200,000 tonnes per month, supported by a new open-pit operation that complements its underground mine commissioned in November.

The open-pit mine is expected to operate for roughly 18 years, targeting annual output of up to 2 million tonnes and creating about 400 jobs, while the underground operation is projected to run through 2055. The company has also tested a 135-wagon train as part of logistics upgrades, with plans to double monthly production to 400,000 tonnes and reach a 4 million-tonne output target by 2026.

Debt dispute clouds growth trajectory

Kalagadi’s expansion has been overshadowed by a long-running dispute over approximately R8.5 billion ($530 million) in debt involving the Industrial Development Corporation, the African Development Bank, and Absa Group.

The IDC, which holds a 20% stake in the company, previously sought to place Kalagadi under business rescue in 2021, citing liquidity concerns and debt-servicing challenges.

Building a manganese powerhouse

Founded in 2007, Kalagadi operates one of the world’s largest manganese sintering plants, reinforcing South Africa’s position as a dominant global supplier. The country accounts for approximately 37% of global manganese production, though this figure should be independently verified as market shares can shift.

Mashile-Nkosi has positioned Kalagadi as a vehicle for increasing local participation in mining, particularly among women. She has structured ownership to ensure that women hold a significant shareholding in the business.

From coal to manganese leadership

Before Kalagadi, Mashile-Nkosi co-founded Eyesizwe Coal in 1999 alongside industry executives, helping build one of the country’s prominent Black-owned mining firms.

The company later merged with Kumba Resources’ non-iron ore assets in 2006 to form Exxaro Resources, now one of South Africa’s largest coal producers.

Activism, resilience, and leadership

Born in Pilgrim’s Rest and raised in Soweto, Mashile-Nkosi was actively involved in the 1976 Soweto student uprising and later became associated with underground political activism during apartheid.

Her career spans entrepreneurship, mining, and advocacy, with a strong focus on women’s economic empowerment. She has worked with grassroots organizations supporting rural women and financial inclusion initiatives.

Despite legal battles, funding constraints, and operational challenges, Mashile-Nkosi has remained a central figure in South Africa’s mining sector, driving one of the country’s most ambitious Black-owned mining projects.

Positioning for future demand

With global competition intensifying for minerals critical to industrial and energy systems, Kalagadi’s expansion places it among emerging suppliers seeking to capture long-term demand.

Mashile-Nkosi’s strategy blends resource development with social impact, as she continues to push for greater inclusion of women in a historically male-dominated industry while scaling production in one of the world’s richest manganese regions.