JSE-listed Dangote Cement South Africa, trading as Sephaku Cement (SepCem), has announced the passing away of Pieter Fourie on May 19.
Fourie was the CEO of SepCem and a nonexecutive director of parent company Sephaku Holdings (SepHold).
Fourie became CEO of SepCem in May 2007, following the company revising the initial minerals exploration model to one focused on selected industries, including cement manufacturing.
He was subsequently appointed as a director of SepHold on November 20, 2009.
SepCem last week reported that Fourie had been hospitalised after having suffered a stroke.
Fourie is survived by his wife, three children and five grandchildren.
“We have lost an individual with enormous institutional insight and memory of the cement industry. This is indeed a very sad day for the Sephaku family.
“Pieter was pivotal in negotiating the relationship agreement with Dangote Industries to establish SepHold’s partnership in SepCem.
“[He] had successfully established SepCem as a formidable cement brand in South Africa at the time of his passing. He had managed to reduce the project bank debt significantly within six years,” commented SepHold board chairperson Brent Williams.