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Cementation Africa postures for African expansion

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

What you need to know about the rebrand:

Murray & Roberts Cementation has rebranded as Cementation Africa. This follows the company’s acquisition by a consortium of investors led by Differential Capital

The leadership team, skilled personnel and values remain firmly in place
Cementation Africa is actively expanding its footprint across the continent
Cementation Africa is positioning itself to support more mining clients in countries such as Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Ghana

Key achievements:

Over the past two decades, the company has delivered more than 15,000 m of vertical shaft sinking and 72,000 metres of raise boring, averaging 300 m per month

The 950 m deep ventilation shaft at Ivanplats’ Platreef project in Limpopo recorded a deviation of just 0.5% over nearly a kilometre using a Rotary Vertical Drilling System

In an exclusive conversation with Japie du Plessis, Managing Director of Cementation Africa, our Content and Communities Director, Laura Nicholson unpacks what this bold transformation means for the future of mining. 


About Cementation Africa

Cementation Africa has built a strong reputation for its role in complex greenfield mining projects. “These transitional contracts are complex and challenging, and we take great pride in having completed several of them successfully,” adds du Plessis.

The company’s fully accredited Training Academy at Bentley Park remains central to its strategy and social investment. As the only facility of its kind on the continent, it plays a vital role in addressing skills shortages across the sector.

Cementation Africa actively partners with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to test and implement the latest technologies. One example is its collaboration with Herrenknecht of Germany which has introduced mechanised caisson shaft sinking using roadheaders allowing for shaft development of up to 300 metres without a single worker entering the shaft. “We are focused on technologies that remove people from high-risk areas while increasing deployment speed,” says du Plessis. “From mechanised reef extraction to blind boring with mobile rigs, it is all about safer, faster and smarter mining.”

Safety remains non-negotiable. Du Plessis emphasises that it is a value embedded in every aspect of the business. The company recently celebrated an industry-leading 8 Million Fatality Free Shifts over a 12-year period.



 

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