JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Dr Mamphela Ramphele on Wednesday stepped down as Gold Fields chairperson to “further her socioeconomic and political work”.
Ramphele, who would be succeeded by Gold Fields nonexecutive director Cheryl Carolus, noted in a statement that she had resigned from most of her private sector directorships and would relinquish all other remaining private sector directorships and positions to focus on these activities.
Recent media reports have speculated that she was planning to start her own political party. Ramphele was expected to make an announcement on her political plans next week.
“I am pleased that during my tenure at Gold Fields significant progress has been made in entrenching the sustainability of the company’s operations worldwide.
“I also believe that the separate listing and unbundling of the company’s KDC and Beatrix mines into Sibanye Gold will provide the South African operations with dedicated and focused management, as well as full control over their cash flows to extend their life-of-mine in a sustainable manner to the benefit of investors, employees and communities,” she commented.
The board and management of Gold Fields thanked Ramphele for her “significant contribution” to the company and her leadership of the board.