Kropz, a South African phosphate miner with backing from billionaire Patrice Motsepe, is cutting jobs and putting operations on hold, businesstech.co.za reports.
The company's Elandsfontein phosphate project is at the centre of the setback, according to Mining Weekly. Business Insider Africa reports that more than 200 positions are at risk, tying the development to a $160 million investment linked to Motsepe, described as South Africa's wealthiest black billionaire.
Moneyweb and Daily Investor both frame the news as job losses at the Motsepe-backed mine, with Moneyweb reporting that the company plans to reduce staff.
The reports, published on 15 September 2026, do not detail the reasons behind the decision or set out a timeline for when work at Elandsfontein might resume. No company statement or comment from Motsepe was included in the coverage.
Elandsfontein is a phosphate project in South Africa, and the investment behind it has been publicly associated with Motsepe, one of the country's most prominent business figures. The scale of the planned cuts — over 200 jobs, per Business Insider Africa — indicates the pause affects a substantial part of the operation's workforce.
What to watch next: whether Kropz confirms the number of affected employees and clarifies the future of the Elandsfontein project.
