The transaction increases ARE’s shareholding in SOLA Group from 41% to 83%, giving it majority control over a renewable energy portfolio valued at more than R20 billion. The deal positions the combined entity as a dominant force in the corporate energy supply market, with SOLA already recognised as South Africa’s largest independent power producer serving private sector clients.

SOLA Group has built its business on supplying electricity directly to companies through on-site renewable installations and through Eskom’s wheeling programme, which allows electricity generated in one location to be transmitted across the national grid to customers elsewhere. This model has become increasingly attractive as businesses seek reliable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional power supply.

The company’s operational scale underscores its growing influence. SOLA currently has 1,100 megawatts peak (MWp) of solar photovoltaic capacity and 730 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery energy storage either operational or under construction. Its client base spans some of South Africa’s largest industrial and commercial players including Sasol, Tronox, Aspen Pharmacare, AB InBev, Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Clicks Group, Mr Price Group and Coca-Cola Beverages Africa.

Beyond industrial clients, SOLA also supplies energy to major property groups such as Growthpoint Properties and Vukile Property Fund, as well as financial and healthcare institutions including Old Mutual and Netcare. This diversified client base reflects a broader shift in corporate South Africa towards decentralised, lower-carbon energy solutions.

Following the acquisition, ARE’s total exposure to renewable energy and battery storage rises to approximately 2,000 megawatts, with around 1.5 gigawatts already operational and a further 500 megawatts under construction. Chief Executive Brian Dames noted that the partnership between ARE and SOLA over the past five years has already delivered significant growth. ” The latest investment supports the ambition to build a large-scale energy platform powered by modern, clean technologies,” added Dames.

Motsepe noted the deal strengthens ARE’s position as a leading independent energy player in South Africa and aligns with a broader vision to build a world-class African energy company. He said, “Expanding access to affordable and reliable electricity remains central to economic growth, particularly as businesses increasingly seek energy security amid ongoing power supply challenges.”

SOLA Group’s leadership will also evolve as part of the transition. Founders Simon Haw, Chris Haw and Dom Chennells will step back from executive roles but remain involved as non-executive directors and shareholders, ensuring continuity while creating space for new leadership. Dom Wills returns as Group Chief Executive, having previously led the company through a period of rapid expansion between 2017 and 2024.

Wills said SOLA’s strategy has consistently focused on helping corporate clients transition to cost-efficient, low-carbon energy systems, navigating increasingly complex regulatory and technological landscapes. With ARE now firmly in control, the company is expected to accelerate its expansion and deepen its role in reshaping South Africa’s energy market.

The transaction marks a pivotal moment in the country’s energy transition, signalling growing private sector leadership in power generation and reinforcing the shift towards scalable, decentralised renewable energy solutions.

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Seasoned Rault’s appointment is timely with African markets seeking fresh capital to fast-track projects development and capitalize on rising global demand for critical minerals which is expected to triple by 2030.

As an AMW advisory board member, Rault will provide strategic insights on investment trends, financing structures and partnership models that can help connect African mining projects with international capital.

With more than 25 years of experience in international finance and investment, Rault has worked extensively on complex government and corporate transactions across multiple jurisdictions.

Through strategic government collaborations and investment scouting initiatives across Africa, Rault plays a huge role in connecting mining opportunities with international investors and development partners. In 2025, Rault was involved in facilitating an exploratory collaboration on critical minerals at presidential-level with an African nation, highlighting the growing global interest in the continent’s resource potential.

As an increasing number of international markets rally towards securing African minerals to strengthen their supply chains, Rault’s expertise in opportunity identification, risk assessment, due diligence and project evaluation will be crucial in strengthening industry cooperation between Africa and global partners.

Rault’s global expertise – having worked in Malaysia, France, China, Australia and Tajikistan – will help shape AMW’s discussions on innovative financing mechanisms, technical partnerships and policy reforms needed to build a more transparent and investor-friendly mining environment across Africa.

His expertise will contribute to shaping AMW’s agenda as the event seeks to support African countries in mobilizing capital to unlock the continent’s estimated $29.5 trillion in mineral wealth, representing roughly 20 percent of global reserves.

AMW 2026 will be held under the theme Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value Chain, bringing together governments, mining companies, financiers and technology providers to accelerate investment and strengthen Africa’s role in global mineral supply chains.

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Scheduled for October in Cape Town, AEW 2026 comes as Rhino Resources accelerates exploration activity across Namibia’s Orange Basin while broadening its footprint into South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The sponsorship reflects the company’s strategy to deepen engagement with investors, service providers and policymakers as it advances multiple assets toward development readiness and future final investment decisions.

At the core of Rhino Resources’ upstream momentum is its multi-well deepwater drilling campaign in Namibia’s Orange Basin – one of the world’s most prolific frontier exploration hotspots. The company is targeting FIDs between late 2026 and early 2027 across operated and partner-led assets, including the co-development of the Volans and Capricornus discoveries in Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 85.

Recent drilling results have strengthened the commercial case of these Namibian assets. The Volans-1X well delivered strong gas-condensate flow rates in February 2026, while the earlier Capricornus-1X well confirmed the presence of light oil, positioning Rhino Resources among the key players contributing to Namibia’s ambition of achieving first oil production by 2030.

Beyond Namibia, Rhino Resources is broadening its portfolio through onshore exploration in South Africa’s Karoo Basin. The company is advancing a six-well campaign targeting helium, methane and hydrogen resources in the Free State Province – a move that reflects both geographic diversification and a wider strategy to support a more resilient and diversified regional energy mix.

This expansion comes at a time when Southern African economies face energy security challenges due to ongoing disruptions to global shipping routes, reinforcing the importance of unlocking domestic resource potential to support industrial growth and reduce external vulnerabilities.

Rhino Resources’ role as Gold Sponsor at AEW 2026 therefore comes at a pivotal stage in its growth trajectory. The event provides a platform to showcase its exploration progress, strengthen partnerships and position its projects within the broader African energy investment landscape.

At AEW 2026, Rhino Resources’ executives are expected to participate in high-level panel discussions, offering insights into frontier basin development, cost-efficient exploration strategies and pathways to fast-tracking project commercialization across emerging African markets.

“Rhino Resources represents a new generation of African-focused independents that are willing to take on frontier risk to unlock long-term energy value,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

“The company’s recent discoveries in Namibia and expanding exploration strategy in South Africa highlight the scale of opportunity across the continent and the critical role independents play in translating resources into production, investment and economic growth.”

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According to condition monitoring specialist company, WearCheck, taking samples is often a very specialised task, and not all maintenance teams have the correct training. Samples that are not taken correctly potentially contain external contamination and other material – even in miniscule amounts – that could compromise the accuracy of the test results.

‘It is for this reason that we decided to grow our onsite sampling team, equip the technicians with extra training for a wider scope of fluids, and allocate dedicated vehicles to them,’ says Juliane de Beer, WearCheck’s national sales manager.

‘The WearCheck onsite sampling team now consists of eight highly skilled, technically certified professionals, collectively bringing over 40 years of industry experience. Their primary mission is simple – to make our customers’ lives easier through efficient, reliable, and expert onsite sampling services.’

De Beer explains that by taking the hassle out of sample collection, the team ensures that every sample is obtained using the correct procedures and best practices. This guarantees accuracy, consistency, and integrity, which are critical for dependable analysis results.

‘The sampling technicians travel to clients located anywhere in South Africa as well as internationally, to take samples.

‘Our onsite sampling technicians collect a wide range of fluids from industrial equipment, including oil, fuel, coolant, transformer oil, brake fluid, AdBlue® and other fluids. Whether operating in demanding industrial environments or routine maintenance settings, our team delivers precision and professionalism at every step.’

The convenient onsite service eliminates the need for customers to manage the sampling process themselves, saving valuable time while reducing the risk of contamination or human error.

To book the taking of an onsite sample, please contact WearCheck Johannesburg on +27 11 392-6322 or martind@wearcheck.co.za

This year, WearCheck celebrates 50 years of taking samples correctly. For more information, please visit www.wearcheck.co.za. Alternatively, please contact WearCheck on marketing@wearcheck.co.za.  or call +27 (31) 700-5460.

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The project was updated by a senior executive of the African Export and Import Bank during a virtual press conference on the bank’s initiatives to strengthen fuel distribution across the continent. Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote first announced the pipeline plans in November 2025, following earlier announcements of plans to build fuel storage tanks in Namibia capable of holding at least 1.6 million barrels of petrol and diesel for southern African distribution. The total investment is estimated at approximately $3 billion.

Africa business specialist Rutendo Hwindingwi described the initiative as a continuation of Dangote’s pan-African vision. “It is Dangote again implementing his Pan-African vision, in this case investing in a fuel pipeline that runs from Namibia to serve southern African countries, with the idea of derisking supply to a certain extent, considering what is happening with oil from a global economic perspective. From a Pan-African perspective, it’s good to see an African company doing that,” said Hwindingwi. With Middle East supply disruptions creating acute fuel cost pressures across landlocked southern African economies, the strategic timing of a Namibia-anchored regional distribution model has rarely been more apparent.

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Shaanika succeeded Veston Malango, who led the chamber for twenty years before retiring, a tenure the chamber’s executive committee described as one of outstanding contributions to both the organisation and the Namibian mining industry. Malango will continue in a transitional capacity alongside Shaanika until the end of 2026 to ensure a structured handover of responsibilities.His career spans the full mining value chain, from exploration and project development through to financing and production. His most recent role was as Managing Director of Kelp Blue, where he was responsible for scaling Namibian operations to full commercial capacity.

Prior to the Chamber of Mines role, he served as Mining and Resources Sector Lead at Rand Merchant Bank Namibia and Head of Business Banking at Standard Bank Namibia. Earlier career roles included senior technical and strategic positions at Namdeb, Vedanta’s Skorpion Zinc Mine and Debmarine Namibia. He holds an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch Business School and has completed executive education programmes at Imperial College Business School and London Business School. The chamber’s EXCO expressed confidence that Shaanika’s combination of technical expertise, financial acumen and leadership experience positions him well to elevate the chamber’s advocacy efforts and advance the sustainable growth and competitiveness of Namibia’s mining sector.

“EXCO extends its sincere appreciation to Malango for his outstanding contribution to the Chamber and the Namibian mining industry in the last 20 years,” stated the committee. Under Malango’s stewardship, the chamber grew into a respected and influential institution, one that Shaanika now inherits at a moment when policy certainty, investor confidence and mineral diversification are simultaneously in focus.

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The licence area sits within the eastern part of the Northern zone of the Damara Mobile Belt, a province widely recognised for its economic mineral endowment and supported by established infrastructure including a main highway, national railway line and adequate power supply serving local towns and existing mining operations. Under the terms of the agreement with private company Frantier Mining Namibia, General Copper must complete due diligence and make an initial cash payment of $60,000, then spend a minimum of $150,000 in exploration during the first year to earn a 40% interest and a further $300,000 in the second year to earn an additional 40%. To support the transaction, the company plans to complete a private placement for gross proceeds of not less than C$1.5 million.

General Copper has also announced the appointment of Percy Clark to its board, subject to Canadian Securities Exchange approval. Clark is a professional geologist with experience at IAMGOLD’s Cote Gold project in Ontario, where he contributed to the 2017 feasibility study. He is currently President and CEO of Clark Exploration in Thunder Bay. The Namibia entry represents an early-stage but strategically well-positioned bet on a jurisdiction whose geological track record and infrastructure advantages make it one of the more compelling exploration addresses in southern Africa for General Copper.

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Chamber of Mines Chief Executive Veston Malango, launching the 2025 Chamber Annual Review in Windhoek, said the sector remained a key pillar of the economy despite a difficult global environment. Mining contributed approximately 14% to Namibia’s GDP, maintaining its position as the largest contributor among primary industries. “Strong uranium growth followed the restart of Langer Heinrich, while gold production also increased modestly. Diamond production declined amid weaker global demand, while base metals contracted except for tin. This shows that diversification towards uranium and gold is becoming increasingly evident,” stated Malango.

The government’s revenue from mining increased by 39% to N$7.8 billion through taxes, royalties and export levies, with royalties reaching N$2.46 billion and export levies rising 90% to N$685 million. Local procurement remained robust, with mining companies spending N$23.97 billion on discretionary local procurement and N$2.83 billion on non-discretionary procurement, about 65% of total procurement spending retained within Namibia. Exploration spending increased by 22% to N$1.496 billion and fixed investment rose 31% to N$7.46 billion, pointing to future growth in uranium, gold, copper and other minerals.

Malango sounded a cautionary note on investor attractiveness. The latest Fraser Institute survey shows Namibia’s global ranking dropped from 30th out of 82 jurisdictions to 51st out of 68, with its African ranking falling from fourth to seventh. “Restoring policy certainty is critical to maintaining Namibia’s competitiveness for mining investment. The sector is resilient and well positioned but sustained investment will depend on a stable and competitive policy environment,” said Malango. The numbers tell a story of a sector that absorbed a difficult year whilst continuing to deliver but one that cannot afford to take investor confidence for granted.

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Deputy Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Gaudentia Kröhne announced the development at the media launch of the African Green Industries Summit 2026, scheduled for 9 – 10 September 2026 in Swakopmund,Namibia. The STIP is being developed under the Climate Investment Funds Industry Decarbonisation Programme and is expected to be submitted to the CIF for review in October 2026. “This facility is more than just a source of financing. It is a catalytic instrument that enables Namibia to translate policy into practical industrial investments, unlock industrial infrastructure, expand manufacturing, strengthen mineral beneficiation and stimulate job creation,” noted Kröhne.

The Interim Head of the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme, Joseph Mukendwa described the STIP not merely as a financing document but as a national project pipeline-building process. The initiative has so far shortlisted 78 projects and developers covering clean energy and industrial power, enabling infrastructure, industrial decarbonisation and value addition, circular economy and low-carbon manufacturing and bioeconomy and climate innovation. “This is a strong indication that Namibia’s green industrialisation opportunity is broader than one project or one sector. It cuts across energy, mining, agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, water, transport and technology,” concluded Mukendwa. The African Green Industries Summit in Swakopmund will provide a practical platform for project owners to meet financiers, policymakers to engage with industry and investors to assess the full scope of Namibia’s emerging project pipeline.

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South Africa’s mining sector has long been shaped by systems of migrant labour, where employees travelled vast distances from rural homes to industrial centres. For decades, this reality was underpinned by hostel accommodation that may have been functional for the most part, but ultimately undesirable and unsustainable to our social fabric.

The dismantling of that system marked an important shift, yet it also introduced new and often unintended challenges. Today, many mine employees operate within what can best be described as a dual economic reality. They support households in rural areas while simultaneously sustaining a life near the mine, often in informal or underdeveloped settlements.

This has created complex social, economic, and spatial dynamics that cannot be addressed through conventional housing approaches alone. What is required is not simply the provision of shelter, but a more fundamental rethinking of how housing contributes to dignity, stability, and long-term prosperity.

Why traditional housing allowances fall short

Historically, mining companies have provided housing allowances as part of employee remuneration. In theory, this offers flexibility. In practice, however, it rarely translates into homeownership. When housing allowances are paid as a cash component of renumeration and incorporated into disposable income, they are inevitably redirected towards immediate needs such as school fees, transport, household goods and sustaining a lifestyle.

This is entirely rational behaviour, but it undermines the intended purpose of the benefit. The result is a persistent gap between policy intent and lived reality: employees remain without secure tenure, while companies struggle to meet regulatory expectations around housing and living conditions.

A shift towards ownership and accountability

To address this disconnect, a different model is required, one that moves from income supplementation to asset creation. At Zutari, our approach has been to work with mining clients to restructure housing benefits in a way that directly supports homeownership.

Central to this is the concept of ring-fencing housing allowances, ensuring that they are used specifically for housing-related purposes rather than general expenditure. Equally important is the introduction of a defined time horizon.

By concentrating benefits over a fixed period of typically ten years, it becomes possible to create a meaningful window during which employees can access and sustain homeownership. This is not about subsidising lifestyles. It is about removing the structural barriers that prevent employees from entering the property market and secure tenure.

Designing with people, not for them

A critical enabler of this shift has been the adoption of human-centred design methodologies. Too often, housing solutions are developed in isolation from the people they are intended to serve. By contrast, our process begins with deep engagement, understanding how employees live, what they value, and the constraints they face.

This includes working closely with organised labour, who play a vital role in representing worker interests. It is as an approach that allows us to co-create a housing benefit scheme with unions and employees.

Initial resistance tends to give way to collaboration, as stakeholders recognises that the solution is not being imposed on them, but developed with them. The outcome is not only a more effective employee housing benefit scheme and policy, but a shared sense of ownership and trust.

The compounding value of housing

The impact of these interventions extends far beyond individual households. Homeownership introduces a level of financial discipline and long-term planning that has positive ripple effects across communities. For employees, a home is not merely a place of residence. It is an asset that can be passed on to future generations, contributing to intergenerational wealth and stability, and financial resilience.

For mining companies, the benefits are equally significant. Structured housing schemes can reduce long-term labour costs, improve workforce stability, and enhance compliance with regulatory frameworks.

A well-structured employee housing benefit scheme also contributes to the stabilisation of All-In Sustaining Costs (AISC) because the housing subsidy, as opposed to an allowance, can be fixed for a defined period and is not linked to annual wage negotiations or inflationary escalations. This creates a predictable and capped cost structure, reducing long-term exposure to escalating labour-related housing expenses.

A stable AISC improves operational planning, protects profit margins, and strengthens investor confidence by demonstrating disciplined cost control, improved financial resilience, and greater certainty in long-term shareholder returns.  This is what makes housing such a powerful lever: it simultaneously addresses social and commercial objectives.

Integrating land, infrastructure, and policy

Housing does not exist in isolation. It is intrinsically linked to land rights, infrastructure provision, and broader urban systems. In practice, this allows mining companies to move away from the traditional model of providing housing through bespoke mining towns, where accommodation is treated as a permanent sunk cost and long-term liability on the balance sheet.

Instead, there is an opportunity to unlock value by enabling employees to access housing finance and purchase properties that may initially be developed or facilitated by the mine. In this model, housing shifts from being a perpetual operational burden to becoming a catalyst for local economic growth, private ownership, and market participation.

There is also an important market consideration. Housing allowances in the form of company sponsored rentals often have the unintended consequence of artificially inflating property prices and rental rates in nearby towns.

Monitoring local housing demand

This distorts the local housing market, making accommodation increasingly unaffordable for non-mining residents such as teachers, nurses, municipal employees, and small business owners. In effect, the mine’s housing intervention can unintentionally crowd out the broader community, while the cost of accommodating mine employees in rental housing keeps rising.

This is why employee housing benefit schemes must go hand in hand with monitoring local housing demand and playing an active role in supporting housing supply in affected towns. Successful schemes are not only about financing employee access to homes, but also about enabling sufficient land release, infrastructure provision, and private-sector participation to ensure the wider housing market remains balanced, inclusive, and sustainable.

Effective solutions therefore require an integrated approach, one that brings together planning, engineering, environmental considerations, and financial structuring. Within Zutari, this integration is a key strength, enabling us to move seamlessly from policy development to on-the-ground implementation

Adapting to a changing industry

The mining sector itself is undergoing significant transformation. Commodity price pressures, evolving regulatory requirements and heightened expectations around environmental, social and governance performance are all reshaping how companies operate. In this context, housing is no longer a peripheral concern. It is a strategic imperative.

Far from diminishing demand for housing solutions, these pressures are driving greater interest in approaches that optimise cost while delivering tangible social impact. Companies are increasingly recognising that investing in sustainable housing is not only the right thing to do, but also a sound business decision.

While these models have been developed within the mining sector, their relevance extends further. Industries such as energy, oil and gas, which share similar workforce dynamics, present clear opportunities for adaptation.

Context-specific solutions

At the same time, there are sectors such as agriculture where lower wage structures and limited capital make implementation more challenging. This highlights the importance of context-specific solutions rather than one-size-fits-all models. Ultimately, the question is not whether housing should form part of a company’s social responsibility agenda.

It is how that housing can be structured to deliver lasting value. By shifting the focus from allowances to assets, from policy to practice, and from top-down solutions to co-created outcomes, it is possible to redefine what housing means within the mining sector. In doing so, we move closer to a model where housing is not just a cost centre, but a catalyst for dignity, for stability, and for sustainable growth.

*Rowan Albertyn is the Technical Director of Land Management (Resources Unit) at Zutari.

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