Our Team

Duke Badisheng Phahla
Chief Executive Officer

Duke is an accomplished executive with over 20 years’ experience in the mining, hydrometallurgical, manufacturing and refinery industries. He has a proven executive management track record with 15 years spent in executive roles driving revenue and growth in various sectors.

His expertise and experience span strategy, tactical and operational development and implementation, operations, cost reduction, production growth, process optimisation, lean and six sigma methodology and problem solving, technology selection and application. Prior to assuming his current role, Duke held a number of positions including Plant Manager, Production Manager and most recently, Chief Operating Officer at Manganese Metal Company (Pty) Ltd (MMC).

Duke is an inspirational leader who takes a vision and makes it reality through sound strategic business planning and execution. He holds a B.Tech Metallurgical Engineering Degree from the Tshwane University of Technology, a Management and Advanced Programme Diploma from Wits Business School and a National Diploma in Chemical Engineering from the Vaal University of Technology, as well as a certified Six Sigma Green Belt Qualification.

Thapelo Mokwena
Divisional Head: Operations

Thapelo is a seasoned senior manager with over 15 years of uninterrupted experience in plant operations, and more than ten of these spent in management roles.

In his current role as Divisional Executive: Operations, Thapelo’s areas of specialty include continuous improvement in operations and IT, reducing variability, as well as the elimination of bottlenecks and waste in operations.

His previous positions include working as a Technician, leading up to his role as Chief Technician (Principal Engineer) at Mintek in 2002. Thapelo later joined Sibanye Platinum as a Plant Middle Manager, where he spent a total of nine years. He occupied positions that included Process Specialist, Plant Superintendent, and Production Manager during his tenure.

He enjoys coaching and mentoring in operations and finds fulfillment in seeing teams and individuals overcome hurdles in their work and grow to take on more challenging tasks.

Thapelo Mokwena obtained a certificate in Extruded Pet Food and Treats from the Texas A & M University, an MBA degree from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), and a B.Tech degree in Chemical engineering from the University of Johannesburg.

Siyabonga Zwane
Divisional Head: Finance

Siyabonga is an experienced Finance Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry.

Skilled in Management, Auditing, Financial Analysis, Finance, and Accounting. Strong finance professional with a CIMA qualification focused on Management Accounting and Graduate Programme in Advanced Taxation focused on Income Tax, from the University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria.

Mr. Zwane has close to 20 years’ experience within the finance sector; having worked for ABSA,Avanade South Africa, Deloitte, and most recently spent 3 years in Australia as Finance Manager for Avanade Australia.