OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 11.30am.
SHARES in Randgold Exploration Co lost 10% of their value on Tuesday as investors continued to shun the gold mining stable run by the Kebble family after a recent loan and share scandal.
Randgold’s shares slumped 55 cents to 495 cents, bringing its losses since the controversial transaction to fend off a rival bid was revealed on January 15 to 31%. It has fallen 42% since the start of the year.
Stablemate JCI Gold shed seven cents or 1,8% to 385 cents, deepening its fall to 35% this month.
”Too many people have been burnt by the management of this company. It is very frustrating for any investor,” said Joachim Berlenbach, gold analyst at Standard Equities.
The companies are part of the JCI/Randgold group which had announced a sweeping reorganisation last year to form a single gold miner with its primary listing offshore.
Mining magnate Brett Kebble — who together with his father, Roger — are key shareholders and managers of the JCI-Randgold group. Earlier this month, Brett Kebble announced he had quit four directorships in the gold stable, including his chief executive post at Western Areas Ltd .
Western Areas is currently probing a secret plan to buy shares in Randfontein Estates that it said was authorised by Kebble without board approval.
The share purchase, made to thwart a rival bid for Randfontein, contravened South African securities law and has upset plans for the long-awaited revamp of the JCI/Randgold group. Randfontein was to be a key pillar of the new company, but is now part of the Harmony Gold group.
”Any investor first wants to see what management is going to do now. Until we see a clearer structure, I can’t imagine anyone will want to look at (Randgold),” Berlenbach said.
Analysts said the market was speculating on two avenues for the future of JCI-Randgold. Either the restructuring would go ahead without Randfontein, or the group could sell off some of its assets.
London-listed Randgold Resources is seen as possible disposal material, and a good catch for the likes of AngloGold or Gold Fields , the world’s two biggest bullion producers who might be keen on the firm’s West African assets.
Analysts said another possible sale would be Western Areas’ 50% stake in the Western Areas mine and South Deep project, one of the richest gold deposits in South Africa.
Canada’s Placer Dome , which owns the other 50% of the mine and South Deep, has said its joint venture was unaffected by the turmoil in the group. — Reuters