South Africa's top manganese producers are preparing to bid for a new export terminal at Ngqura port, aiming to address the country's strained logistics infrastructure. The Manganese Producers' Consortium, including South32's Hotazel Manganese Mines and Assmang, plans to submit a request for quotation in the second quarter to design, build, and operate the facility.

South Africa holds three-quarters of global manganese reserves, with the Kalahari Basin containing the world's largest land-based deposit. The nation exports over 85% of its production as raw ore or concentrate, commanding 36% of global seaborne trade. Transnet's environmental mandate to decommission the Port of Port Elizabeth terminal by 2027 has accelerated plans for the Ngqura facility, which will handle 16 million tons annually compared to the current 5.5 million tons.

The consortium will partner with state-owned Transnet SOC Ltd. as a joint venture, while also working to upgrade the rail corridor connecting the Northern Cape to Ngqura. African Rainbow Minerals reported that collaboration through the MPC has already increased wagon payload capacity to Saldanha port by 4 tons per wagon, adding 350,000 tons of annual capacity. This infrastructure development comes as Transnet attempts to recover from years of mismanagement and corruption that have crippled its logistics operations.