mandela's son joins kaboko

Nelson Mandela son joins Kaboko
The Australian February 14, 2012 12:00AM

AUSTRALIAN-LISTED junior Kaboko Mining has appointed Nelson Mandela's stepson to head up the manganese explorer as it looks to increase its interests in Africa.

Malenga Machel, the founding director of private investment vehicle Whatana Investments Group, will take on the non-executive chairman's role at Kaboko, which has transformed from a uranium hopeful to a company focused on manganese in Zambia.

The Whatana group is headed by Mr Machel's mother, GraGa Machel, widow of the first president of Mozambique - Samora Machel - and wife of Nelson Mandela.

Kaboko's executive director, Jason Brewer, said the appointment was a coup for the company and its business in Africa.

"Malenga Machel brings exceptional business and entrepreneurial skills and has established a network of relationships throughout Africa that is rarely accessible for an emerging mining company such as ours.


"It is a huge vote of confidence in our business strategy to have attracted someone of Malenga Machel's calibre."

Mr Machel's post came as founding director Kate Hobbs resigned from the company. Ms Hobbs, with Perth mining identity Michael Kiernan, started the company in 2006 to explore for uranium projects in Russia.