Partnering to grow South Africa’s minerals economy
Sehunelo Group Executive Chairman | Adv. Phemelo Sehunelo
Commissioning of the investment East Manganese mine, in Hotazel, in the Northern Cape, marks a new chapter for the Menar group and the country.
Menar Managing Director Vuslat Bayoglu points out that despite the challenges associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the development of East Manganese was never in doubt.
Sitatunga Resources, whose major shareholder is investment company Menar, acquired East Manganese in 2018 from prospecting and mining company Sehunelo Group’s subsidiary Southern Ambition. “This is yet another indication that we strongly believe in South Africa as a conducive investment destination where regulators are responsive and efficient. We are committed to developing assets and creating jobs. As a matter of principle, we don’t sit on our assets, we develop them,” states Vuslat.
Entrepreneur Advocate Phemelo Sehunelo, Executive Chairman of the Sehunelo Group, notes that “as a joint-venture partner to the development of East Manganese it is gratifying to see the final development of the resource.”
He explains that the Sehunelo Group is both a developer of mining projects and an operator of mines. The group has over 3 000 employees in total. The group’s strategy is to increase a project’s worth along the value curve. “From there we look at how we can partner with companies, like Menar, who are committed to developing new mines and growing their existing assets.”
Advocate Sehunelo emphasises that the establishment of new mines is crucial to addressing the high unemployment problem in the Northern Cape, more especially among the youth. “Menar’s commitment to South Africa and its drive is to ensure that South Africa’s economy benefits from new global trends and the fourth industrial revolution aligns strongly with our company’s views.”
“Menar and the Sehunelo Group are both like-minded companies that are growth-orientated, ambitious and understand modern trends. Included in this view is the need to continue to expand the mining sector in the interests of job creation and local community development, which naturally flows from mines in form of business opportunities for local suppliers, social labour plans and enterprise development opportunities,” states Advocate Sehunelo.
Furthermore, Advocate Sehunelo states that “East Manganese mine is only the beginning, as Menar and the Sehunelo Group have other mining projects in the Northern Cape that we are currently evaluating for potential investment and development.”
“Menar’s commitment to South Africa and its drive is to ensure that South
Africa’s economy benefits from new global trends and the fourth industrial revolution aligns strongly with our company’s views.”
- Phemelo Sehunelo
