South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe is once again positioning himself at the center of Africa’s strategic minerals trade, as his company African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) joins a consortium seeking to develop a major manganese export facility at Ngqura Port.
The project, which will be undertaken alongside Transnet and other mining giants including South32, Anglo American, and Exxaro Resources through its Tshipi é Ntle manganese operation, is expected to reshape South Africa’s manganese export logistics and strengthen the country’s position in the global minerals supply chain.
According to reporting reviewed by the Accra Street Journal (ASJ), the planned manganese terminal at Ngqura will have an initial export capacity of 16 million tons per year, potentially expanding to 22 million tons as global demand grows.
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Strategic Infrastructure Shift
The development forms part of a broader logistics shift within South Africa’s mining sector. State logistics company Transnet plans to decommission the aging manganese export terminal at Port Elizabeth, which currently handles about 5.5 million tons annually, and redirect shipments to the higher-capacity Ngqura hub.
For investors and commodity analysts, the infrastructure upgrade could significantly improve export efficiency from the Northern Cape’s Kalahari Basin, which holds one of the world’s richest manganese deposits.
South Africa currently accounts for approximately 75% of the world’s identified manganese reserves and about 36% of global seaborne manganese exports, making the metal a strategic pillar of the country’s mining economy.
As the Accra Street Journal (ASJ) notes, the expansion is also expected to ease long-standing rail and port bottlenecks that have limited export growth in recent years.
ARM’s Strong Financial Position
ARM’s participation in the project comes at a time when the company is reporting strong financial results. Interim earnings rose 10% to R8.66 per share, reflecting improved profitability and stronger commodity performance across several divisions.
The company’s balance sheet remains robust, with net cash of R8.46 billion and a maintained interim dividend of R5 per share, signaling confidence in its long-term growth strategy.
In particular, ARM’s platinum group metals (PGM) operations have delivered exceptional results. Headline earnings from platinum surged 200% to R704 million, supported by joint ventures with Anglo American at the Modikwa Mine and with Impala Platinum at the Two Rivers operation.
The company also strengthened its financial position through the disposal of its Sakura manganese processing facility and by securing operational control of the Nkomati nickel mine.
Rising Global Demand for Manganese
Manganese is a critical mineral used in steel manufacturing and increasingly in battery technologies for electric vehicles, placing it among the strategic resources shaping the global energy transition.
With demand expected to rise sharply over the next decade, infrastructure projects like the Ngqura terminal are seen as vital to ensuring supply chains remain efficient.
Industry analysts cited by the Accra Street Journal (ASJ) suggest that expanding export capacity could enable South Africa to capture greater value from its mineral wealth while attracting additional investment into downstream processing and beneficiation.
Strengthening Local Mining Participation
The project also aligns with South Africa’s broader policy push to increase local participation and value retention within the mining sector.
By encouraging partnerships between state infrastructure companies and domestic mining firms, the government hopes to ensure that a larger share of mineral export revenues remains within the national economy while supporting employment and industrial development.
For Motsepe, whose mining empire spans manganese, platinum, iron ore, coal, and nickel, the new terminal represents another strategic expansion.
Consolidating Africa’s Mining Leadership
Through African Rainbow Minerals, Motsepe has built one of the continent’s most diversified mining portfolios. His growing infrastructure involvement suggests a shift beyond resource extraction toward control of logistics and export networks—a move that could significantly strengthen his influence in global commodity markets.
As the Accra Street Journal (ASJ) highlights, the Ngqura terminal bid underscores how African mining companies are increasingly taking leading roles in shaping the continent’s resource infrastructure rather than relying solely on foreign operators.
If completed as planned, the project could transform South Africa’s manganese export capacity and further cement Motsepe’s position as one of Africa’s most powerful mining investors.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on March 14, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
