Daphne Mashile-Nkosi challenges gender norms and pioneers strategic change in SA’s manganese mining sector.
For decades, the mining industry has remained one of the most male-dominated sectors in South Africa, particularly excluding African women from leadership and ownership roles. However, Daphne Mashile-Nkosi is among the few who have managed to break through these longstanding barriers. As executive chairperson and founder of Kalagadi Manganese, she plays a key role in one of the country’s prominent Black women-led mining ventures.
Kalagadi Manganese operates a manganese mine in the Northern Cape and runs one of the world’s largest manganese sinter plants. The plant processes an estimated three million tonnes of manganese ore annually from deposits believed to contain close to 960 million tonnes. Manganese ore is vital in steel production, increasing strength and durability across various industrial applications.
A Path into Mining
Mashile-Nkosi’s entry into mining began with a conversation that sparked an idea. An encounter with an elderly mineworker who spoke of the manganese-rich lands in the Northern Cape led her to explore possibilities in an industry not often open to Black women. Initially known as Kalahari Resources (Pty) Ltd, Kalagadi Manganese (Pty) Ltd was established in 2001 by several Black South African women entrepreneurs, with Mashile-Nkosi at the forefront.
In 2005, the company was granted a mining right to explore manganese reserves in the Kalahari Basin, Northern Cape. Following a 20% stake acquisition by the Industrial Development Corporation in 2007, Kalagadi Manganese (Pty) Ltd was formally incorporated. There were many challenges during this process, including limited collateral, scepticism from financial institutions, and gender bias that made securing funding difficult. Despite these obstacles, Mashile-Nkosi raised capital through development finance institutions and private investors, eventually bringing Kalagadi Manganese into operation.
Business focus and social impact
Kalagadi Manganese specialises in mining and processing manganese ore into high-grade sinter. This material is crucial in the global steelmaking process, supplying industries involved in construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure development. While the company’s core focus remains industrial, it has also positioned itself as a contributor to local socio-economic development. Kalagadi has invested in job creation, particularly for women in rural areas around the mine.
“I am passionate about women’s rights and the empowerment of women. I sincerely believe that women have a meaningful role to play in the mining industry if they’re prepared to make the necessary commitment. I believe I have a responsibility to empower women as much as possible and to break down barriers inherent in the mining industry. It is for this reason that I insist that 50 per cent of all our employees must be women – even on site,” said Mashile-Nkosi at the Women Mining Ingxoxo.
Leadership Beyond Mining
Mashile-Nkosi’s influence extends beyond Kalagadi. She holds leadership roles in other companies, including Kalahari Resources and Temoso Telecommunications, and has served on the boards of several mining and investment firms. In 2014, she received the “CEO of the Year” award at the Africa CEO Forum, recognising her contributions to African industrial development.
Daphne Mashile-Nkosi continues to position Kalagadi Manganese as a key player in South Africa’s mineral economy while promoting a shift in gender and racial representation at the highest levels of mining leadership.
