JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – De Beers Group has announced an initiative to consolidate its mining assets in South Africa and Canada into one business called De Beers Group Managed Operations.

The new business will streamline operational management and identify synergies to create a more sustainable business in the two countries.

De Beers Group Managed Operations will focus on Venetia Mine, Gahcho Kué Mine and De Beers Marine under one leadership team. The restructuring was necessitated by the company’s reduced mining footprint in South Africa and Canada due to the closures of Snap Lake and Voorspoed Mines, along with the imminent closure of Victor Mine during May this year.

Nompumelelo (Mpumi) Zikalala will be appointed to the new role of MD for De Beers Group Managed Operations, based in Johannesburg, moving from her current role as Deputy CEO of De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM), to take responsibility for the restructure. She will be supported by Allan Rodel, in the newly created role of head of operations, and a management team based in Johannesburg, but with additional support services in Canada. 

Zikalala, who has more than 18 years’ experience in the mining industry, began her career as an ore processing engineer at the Cullinan Diamond Mine in 2001, and has held numerous roles as GM for De Beers Kimberley Mines and Voorspoed Mine, and as senior vice-president for De Beers Sightholder Sales South Africa. In her role as Deputy CEO of DBCM, she has been responsible for the De Beers Group South Africa strategy and consolidating and simplifying its businesses in the country.

De Beers Group CEO Bruce Cleaver expressed delight at the appointment to what was a vitally important position that would focus on growing a profitable and sustainable business in both South Africa and Canada.

“Our businesses in these countries face very different challenges and require a leader of Mpumi’s skill, vision and experience to maximise their full potential. I'm personally very pleased to see her step into this role, which she does with my full support,” Cleaver said in a release to Creamer Media’s Mining Weekly Onlne.

Zikalala expressed excitement: “Canada and South Africa are both hugely important to the future of De Beers Group and we want to continue to grow and invest in both countries. I’m looking forward to working with the teams and I’m very grateful to have the support of Allan Rodel, who has a wealth of experience in both the South African and Canadian mining industries,”  she said. 

Zikalala’s role will replace those currently held by DBCM CEO Phillip Barton and De Beers Canada CEO Kim Truter, who will both leave the organisation to focus on new opportunities.

Barton has been with De Beers Group for more than 30 years and has played a key role in mentoring Zikalala and developing her as his successor.

Truter joined De Beers Group in 2015 as CEO of De Beers Canada, bringing with him 30 years of mining experience. His achievements at the company include bringing the Gahcho Kué Mine into operation in 2016 and the acquisition of the Chidliak Project in 2018.

Zikalala holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Witwatersrand and is a graduate of the London Business School Emerging Leaders Programme. She is a non-executive director of De Beers Sightholder Sales South Africa and has also served as executive director for the Black Management Forum and Mintek.