Dr. Sixtus Mulenga: Zambia’s mining trailblazer

By Derrick Silimina

As the world moves more decisively towards a green energy transition following rising demand for manganese each year, a Zambian mining stalwart has set his sights far beyond the critical metals’ production.

Dr. Sixtus Mulenga is a mining trailblazer and founder of Zambia’s very first wholly, privately-owned large-scale mining firm - ‘Musamu Resources,’ an emerging mineral exploration and mining company. Musamu which means a ‘tree’ in Tonga dialect, is a philosophical term signifying growth and development.

The 71-year-old mining expert became the first Zambian mining geologist to be employed at Bancroft - the present day Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) which was then operated by Anglo American. Since the onset of his mining career, Dr Mulenga’s pioneering approach to the mining industry inspired him to become among the first Zambians to qualify as a geologist back in the 1970s, after he attended North London Polytechnic, attained a Master’s and then a PhD at London’s Royal School of Mines, Imperial College of Science Technology & Medicine, University of London. 

After leaving University, Dr. Mulenga’s lifelong dream as a young geologist was his aspiration to one day find a mineral deposit of his own, an idea that was entrenched in him after he became the first Zambian mining geologist at then Bancroft mine, now known as KCM which was named Bancroft then after the geologist who discovered the bancroft deposit and Anglo America honoured him by what he did.

In early 2009 after his over 35 years industry experience both in Zambia and the global mining arena, Dr. Mulenga embarked on an odyssey of starting his own self-funded mineral exploration project and settled on a 1,000-square-kilometre piece of land in Chipili District of Luapula Province – home to several large geological basins, where part of the Central African Mineral Belt rolls over Zambia’s borders.

“It was a life plan for me, which I created when I graduated because at the University of London, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College where I got my Doctorate and Masters Degrees, in west London, they were teaching us how to give back to society. They were teaching us principles of sustainability. When you have all this knowledge at the end of the day, what contribution are you going to make to human society? So that was always at the back of my mind. Yes, I work to provide a living for my family but beyond that, I crystallised all this knowledge and went out in the bush and found a gift I will give back to society,” Dr. Mulenga told Solwezi Today magazine in an exclusive interview.

In 2012, after three years of arduous mineral exploration with his technocrats which involved land surveying, geological mapping, geochemistry soil sampling and geophysics survey of the area among others, Dr Mulenga disclosed that his dream finally came to pass as he eventually discovered manganese ore at the bottom of a two metres trench, a development that tranquilised his long and illustrious mining career. 

Today, Dr. Mulenga is indeed living his dream as the whole idea of building his mining project is to have a fully-integrated mining business, with a plan to build a manganese processing plant to a stage where it can feed into the electric car battery-manufacturing value chain.

He hinted that in the location where his mining operation is currently underway, there is a certified reserve of one million tonnes but there is approximately 40 million tonnes of manganese resource.

“I don't get disturbed by challenges that I come across as I just see them as hurdles that need to be sorted out. That's why I am inner driven, intrinsic driven and believe in myself that if somebody else can do it, I can also do it. There's nothing special because the only difference is time and one’s capacity because as you know, exploration is capital intensive and needs a lot of money and I did it from my own funds,” he affirmed.

Arguably, the potential for Zambia to tap into opportunities for value addition are indeed far-reaching, and extend into several sectors. But above all, Dr Mulenga’s pioneering groundwork for economic diversification around his new mine has cheered many stakeholders. 

For this reason, Dr. Mulenga has held corporate senior executive management positions for several years including as a non-executive board director of several international stock exchange listed companies operating in Zambia. At national and international levels, he has also provided mining consultancy and technical advisory services to the Government of Zambia and the World Bank.

The versatile mining guru is also a Chartered Engineer – UK Engineering Council, a Fellow of the Geological Society of London and Member of the Institution of Mining & Metallurgy UK, Registered Engineer & Member of the Engineering Institution of Zambia, Executive Member of the International Mine Water Association, Council Member of the Zambia Chamber of Mines, Chairman of the Geological Society of Zambia and past Chairman of the Zambia Branch of the Southern Africa Institution of Mining and Metallurgy.

Looking into the future, Dr Mulenga’s mind is brimming with ideas for creating an ecosystem in which mining operations catalyse development in sectors like agro-processing and manufacturing that can sustain themselves beyond the life of mine. 

As a result of his other acclaimed past roles he served including as Group Consulting Hydro-Geologist at Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Ltd, Chief Geologist of Konkola and Nchanga Mines, as well as General Manager Corporate for Albidon Zambia Ltd respectively, Dr. Mulenga is a proud father of three biological children and has been married to Rebecca Mulenga for 44 years. 

In his spare time away from his mining activities, Dr. Mulenga enjoys family time. He likes reading books and participates in body wellness activities through yoga, swimming and jogging. He is also a staunch Catholic by faith.

“I am blessed with three biological children. Okay, a son who is late and my two daughters, the ones that you've seen, but beyond that, I have more than three children. And then I took over my siblings' children. So from my siblings, I have seven children who I raised and educated. So in total, I have 10 children and the youngest one is graduating this year as a mechanical engineer at University of Cape Town,” he shared.

Asked what legacy he would love to leave for his country once all is said and done especially in the mining industry, Dr. Mulenga chuckled and highlighted that he would love to demonstrate that Zambia must believe in itself and that any dream is doable provided one exercises patience, focus, tenacity and stability of mind. 

In a presentation he delivered recently in Lusaka during the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR) organised programme dubbed, ‘The future of mining in Zambia,’ Dr. Mulenga reiterated, “As a country, we need to encourage Zambians to go into mine exploration. There must be capital markets, we must be able to raise money within the country to do it. Because you cannot do your exploration or develop a mine by selling your property or house or selling vegetables. It's impossible!” 

A Source of Success

By Derrick Silimina

Every two to three months, Garry Mwitwa leaves his hometown of Kafue and boards a plane bound for China to buy tens of thousands of dollars worth of electronics on every trip. 

Proficient in Chinese and able to bargain with Chinese wholesalers in Beijing, Mwitwa, 35, is a symbol of the booming goods imports from China. The young entrepreneur often carries wads of cash to buy used Chinese-made phones and accessories to sell back home. 

“If you want to be successful in life and realize your dream, you must be in charge of your own destiny and try to be physically present in each and every place to get the necessary exposure,” Mwitwa told ChinAfrica, while carefully placing hundreds of items of Chinese electronics on the shelves of his store. 

Mwitwa, who owns an electronics retail outlet in Kafue Town, 40 km south of Zambia’s capital Lusaka, has been traveling to China since 2015.  

Likewise, Anita Namfukwe, proprietor of Nams Fashions nestled in Lusaka’s central business district, is also upbeat about her business as the stylish and affordable Chinese garments are well sought after by local consumers. 

“Yes, my business is doing fine, because whenever I order my goods from China, I can get a good profit margin compared to buying from Malaysia, and that’s why I choose the Chinese market. In addition, the demand for Chinese-made garments is high,” Namfukwe said. She plans to expand her business by opening another outlet in the city’s bustling Comesa Market, after having ordered $5,000 worth of women’s garments.

Market appeal  

With its vast manufacturing industry and competitive product offerings, China has become a lucrative destination for most Zambian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to expand their business in the international trading space. 

Arguably, Zambian traders favor the Chinese market because of the diversity of products that are readily available at affordable prices. From electronics to clothing and footwear, a wide range of Chinese goods has found a ready market in the Southern African country. 

Some of the SMEs based at Lusaka’s Kamwala Market revealed that getting goods from China is a seamless process - one that enables them to not only take care of their families, but also create local employment. Others who order their merchandise via online platforms such as Alibaba say they have cultivated good relationships with the Chinese suppliers who are not only honest but also consistent and efficient. 

Underscoring the importance of the Chinese market, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema recently led the largest-ever delegation since he took office to China on a state visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping from 10 to 16 September. 

During the visit, President Xi and President Hichilema upgraded the relationship between Zambia and China to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership.  

A pivotal moment during the visit was the signing of more than 15 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering various sectors of the Zambian economy, which gives expression to the shared vision for cooperation and partnership in areas such as finance, trade, agriculture, media, and tourism. These agreements opened up new opportunities for Zambian commodity importers and exporters, further strengthening economic ties. 

Considering the country’s peaceful environment and favorable business policies, President Hichilema invited several companies engaged in the manufacturing of electric vehicles and smartphones to encourage them to expand their operations to Zambia. 

As a result, telecom equipment maker ZTE plans to open a smartphone plant in Zambia, following an MoU to construct the factory. 

“Our last engagement in Shenzhen was at ZTE, a leading global ICT solutions provider. This will be a game changer that brings many jobs, as we increase digital solutions to citizens through our e-government division,” President Hichilema said. “We encouraged them to consider opportunities in Zambia for digital platforms, as we push to transform our country into a modern economy through tech advancement.”  

The Zambian head of state affirmed that this comes after realizing the need to swiftly develop Zambia’s digital space, as part of his administration’s smart economic transformation plan. He reiterated that the agreements would help Zambia to become fully digital, which will benefit everyone, particularly rural communities. 

New chapter 

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui said the two countries were writing a new chapter in their “all-weather” ties. 

“The two heads of state jointly drew up a new blueprint for the development of China-Zambia relations, which will have a lasting and far-reaching impact on bilateral relations,” the Chinese envoy stated. 

Along with the sales of popular smartphones, the Chinese brands such as Tecno, Itel and Infinix are also fostering the growth of Zambian smartphone retailers and accessories suppliers, thus helping to build the economy. 

Across Zambia, city and town centers are brimming with brightly coloured advertisements for Chinese smartphones as scores of new retailers are springing up to meet the burgeoning demand. 

Webby Kunda’s shop on Lusaka’s Chachacha Road displays a wide range of, mostly, Chinese brands. 

“I started selling smartphones in 2016. Back then, I struggled to sell even one handset per day; but thanks to the arrival of so many Chinese smartphones with advanced features and good prices, things have changed,” Kunda noted.  

In this context, smartphone retailers and accessories suppliers like Mwitwa are elated over ZTE's MoU. Once ZTE sets base in Zambia, his business will certainly flourish as he will be able to order his goods locally, thereby saving the import duties and time needed to ship the goods from China.  

“This is great news for us electronics dealers, as it will not only revamp our business growth, but also create direct and indirect jobs, especially among the young people countrywide,” Mwitwa added.

REA optimizes power generation

 By Lumbiwe Mwanza

Morgan Chama anxiously puts up a smile as he uses his barbing machine to fix his clients’ hair style in readiness to get paid, before a scheduled power cut.  

But Chama, 30, is unable to fully hide the pain in his eyes caused by the persistent load-shedding that is in turn affecting his barbershop which solely depends on electricity supply from ZESCO, Zambia’s major power utility company. 

“I depend on a constant power supply to work but lack of electricity these days has a direct negative impact on my business. I am now unable to make enough income to pay bills and provide for my family,” Chama bemoaned.

Of late, the incessant power supply has hit the economy hard across all sectors, including metal fabricators, hair salons, and butcher’s shops among others. Thomas Sipalo, owner of a butchery in Lusaka’s sprawling Soweto market, sees the impact immediately in his refrigerators. 

“My beef products go bad every time the power supply is shut down,” Sipalo complained.

Recurrent power cuts have also forced 25-year-old artisan - Noel Mulenga to shut down his welding business in Kalingalinga township, one of the slums nestled east of Lusaka town which he relied on to raise school fees for his children. He needed electricity to operate the equipment, but he could get it just for a few hours a day. 

“I had no choice but to close my barbershop after ZESCO recently rolled out a load-shedding schedule which lasts from four to eight hours at a stretch,” Mulenga narrated.

As a result, Chama recently relocated from Rufunsa district to Kampekete village in Chongwe district  - 35 kilometers east of Lusaka city, Zambia’s capital after his barbershop business failed to tick due to chronic power shutdown and went all out to re-establish himself in search of a stable power supply.

Thanks to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) who recently completed the electrification of Kampekete Village and a Community School under a pilot project which has utilized excess 5kW power from Chitumba Solar Milling Plant. 

Chama is now among the community members who are proud beneficiaries of REA’s initiative to tap power from the excess 5kW power from Chitumba Solar Milling Plant to help run his enterprise with ease.

“I am now operating with a peace of mind because ever since I re-established my business here, I have had no challenges with power cuts here and I have since recapitalised my barbing business and I plan to open another outlet due to increased demand of my services,” Chama stated. 

Similarly, Lucy Kabwe, 34, is now also a successful owner of a liquor store who supplies cold beers to her clients in the Kampekete community. 

“My business nowadays is booming as compared to olden days when we relied on buying ice-cubes to cool the beers which was unsustainable but now, I am a proud owner of a fridge due to consistent power supply from the Chitumba Solar Milling Plant,” Kabwe

Zambia has traditionally depended on the water flows of the mighty Zambezi and Kafue rivers for its hydropower - a clean and renewable resource that now seems unsustainable. 

Chronic drought caused by climate change has lowered water levels to the point where power production is severely curtailed. The water level at the Kariba Dam has been decreasing steadily because of droughts and low inflows from the Zambezi River and its tributaries.  Droughts in recent years have cut electricity output by nearly one-third of Zambia’s total installed hydroelectric capacity of 2,380 mw.  

In 2019, water levels in the Kariba Dam plunged to their lowest level since 1996, falling to 10 percent of the normal level. Late last year, the level of usable water in Kariba, tapped by both Zambia and Zimbabwe, stood at 2.68 percent of the normal, according to the Zambezi River Authority, which manages water supply for the two countries and is responsible for the allocation of water used by Zimbabwe’s Kariba South and Zambia’s Kariba North power stations. 

Energy experts say droughts caused by climate change are not the only factor behind Zambia’s energy woes; chronic under-investment in hydro projects has also caused problems. So even when there is sufficient rain, the power supply cannot keep up with the demand from mining, manufacturing and agriculture. 

According to the US Agency for International Development, Zambia gets 85 percent of its power from hydro projects. The biggest problem is that the Southern African country is over-dependent on hydro energy, a fuel source that is subject to the vagaries of the weather.  

Therefore, rural electrification is key to unlocking the potential in these communities and provides a canvas for innovative and creative ways to plug in ordinary people.

In today's technologically advanced world, access to electricity has become an essential aspect of life. Unfortunately, many rural communities in Zambia still lack this fundamental resource. 

However, the rise of electrification initiatives by REA brings new hope, promising transformative opportunities for these underserved regions.

For this reason, REA is this year targeting to electrify 64 development projects in rural areas and the institution has done a master plan that has identified 1, 217 rural projects  that need to be electrified.

“The institution has been tasked by the government to meet 51 percent access to electricity in rural areas by 2024 following the increased budget allocation for rural electrification shows how committed the government is to seeing rural areas developed,” REA Corporate Affairs Manager Justine Mukosa recently said.

A Fruitful Exchange

 By Derrick Silimina

In the heart of South Africa’s rugged Swartberg and Koue Bokkeveld mountains lies the alps towering majestically above fertile citrus farmland, forming a wall that sustains enough rainfall to attract farmers to the south. 

Siabonga Mbete, 34, grows tangerine - a small seedless fruit of the citrus family that is turning South African farmers into millionaires. 

As trucks veer off the dusty road into farmlands to collect some tangerines and lemons at Mbete’s smallholder farm located in Eastern Cape Province for the export market, the young farmer is upbeat about citrus farming, which has spawned multiple agribusinesses and unlocked agricultural potential of the country. 

“This farmland is a lifeline for most of us in our community and this farm does help us a lot in putting food on the table and providing for our families. Personally, this farm has also helped me to gain skills and I plan to start my own citrus farming project in future,” Mbete, one of over 200 seasonal workers at the Khangela Citrus Farm, told ChinAfrica. 

Rapid expansion 

According to the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) of South Africa, the local citrus industry has achieved remarkable growth over the past few years, with over 160 million cartons of fruit packed for export across the globe in 2022. By 2032, the sector aims to export an additional 260 million cartons a year, contributing 240,000 jobs and 50 billion rands ($2.66 billion) in revenue annually to the South African economy. 

Each year, the citrus season in South Africa brings a good harvest, especially for the black-owned Eastern Cape farms. For instance, the Khangela Citrus Farm in Addo region, some 72 km northeast of Port Elizabeth, has been exporting citrus produce like oranges, tangerines and lemons to Japan and some Middle Eastern countries. 

The farm was bought by the South African government, which invested millions of rands on infrastructure and skills development for the surrounding communities in Sarah Baartman District Municipality in Eastern Cape.  

On the other side, South Africa’s Western Cape Province enjoys a unique Mediterranean-like climate which is renowned for its fertile valley nourished by the Olifants River where tasty and nutritious citrus fruits are grown.  

“Our success is made possible by the support we get from the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Apart from clinching some export contracts to the Middle East, our cooperative also supplies local companies that add value to our fruits,” said Karabo Mduli, a co-owner of the Bokamotso Citrus Project, a family-run smallholder farm. 

Arguably, the citrus groves of South Africa have supported generations of families that continue to live, work and thrive on their farms, and this long heritage of citrus production continues to play a major role in the economic future and lives of successive generations. 

Having started small with about 1,000 fruit trees, Mduli has seen her agribusiness venture grow immensely to over 8,000 trees. She has since managed to employ 50 local workers in addition to over 100 seasonal laborers to help to manage her agricultural venture. 

However, citrus exporters like Mbete and Mduli are now grappling with the burden of much stricter regulations which were recently imposed by the European Union (EU) on South African citrus imports. The action has shaken South Africa’s export farmers and hurt the profitability of local citrus growers. 

In addition, logistical issues have proven to be a major challenge for most South African citrus farmers, especially those in the northern part of the country, and Mduli is no exception. 

Critical new market 

In this context, the CGA has noted that a revised lemon protocol signed by South Africa and China in 2021 was a major achievement. 

The association believes that with local lemon production expected to grow by 175,000 tonnes by 2024, the finalization of the revised protocol means China will now become “a critical new market” and will secure 325 million rands ($17.32 million) in new export revenue. 

“We envision exporting 25,000 tonnes of lemons to China by 2024 and the current trend indicates favorable export figures,” CGA Chief Operating Officer Paul Hardman recently said. 

South Africa has already enjoyed phenomenal growth in exports to China in recent years, with shipments of grapefruit, orange and soft citrus reaching 130,000 tonnes in 2020. 

Hardman noted that South Africa’s citrus export industry is a key source of employment, providing 140,000 jobs and contributing $1.6 billion in annual export revenue. He added that the improvement in trade relations with China has played a vital role in job creation and revenue generation. 

Statistics show that South Africa is the second-largest exporter of fresh citrus in the world, after record-breaking exports of 146 million cartons of citrus in 2020, thanks to the country’s favorable weather conditions that enable fruits to grow in optimal conditions, producing superior summer citrus that is seedless and easy to peel. 

Growth projections for soft citrus, lemons and Valencia oranges indicate an expected additional 6.8 billion rands ($362.36 million) in foreign exchange earnings and the creation of 22,250 stable jobs over the next three years. 

Trade analysts say China-South Africa trade has taken a giant leap from $1.4 billion in 1998 to $56.7 billion in 2022, and that gaining access to the Chinese market is a vital step in boosting an export-led growth of the South African citrus industry, which is a commitment the government has made under the Agriculture and Agro-Processing Master Plan. 

After the EU erected barriers to imports of South Africa’s citrus last July, the government suggested that they might have to start looking elsewhere for markets.  

“As a government, we open more export markets for the industry; as the estimates suggest, there will be roughly 300,000 tonnes [of agricultural products] added to the current volumes in the next three years that require an export market,” Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza recently noted.