By: OrePulse

Richards Bay Minerals, the heavy minerals producer majority-owned by Rio Tinto, has named Bayanda Mncwango as its new Managing Director, effective October 2026. He takes over from Wilhelmina Ngcobo, who has held the role on an acting basis since July and will now revert to her prior post as Chief Operating Officer.

Mncwango's arrival marks a return to the South African operation, where he already spent three years as Chief Operating Officer, from 2019 to 2022. In that earlier stint, he oversaw the business across mining, processing and logistics, and was responsible for operational safety, technical development and long-range strategic planning. Before joining Rio Tinto, he began his mining career within Anglo American's platinum division.

Most recently, he served at Glencore's Kamoto Copper Company, a copper operation located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He held the combined post of Chief Operating Officer and director of operations there before moving into a wider regional leadership position for Glencore's copper business. Across his career, he has accumulated roughly a quarter-century in mining, with experience spanning platinum, heavy minerals and copper.

Rio Tinto Iron & Titanium Managing Director Sophie Bergeron framed the timing of the appointment as significant for the business, noting that Mncwango returns as the company pushes forward several major initiatives at once. "Bayanda rejoins RBM at an important time as we advance the Zulti South project, our decarbonisation programme and the ongoing investment in local procurement, enterprise development and community partnerships," she said.

Bergeron also thanked Ngcobo for her leadership during the interim period. "I would like to sincerely thank Ngcobo, who has ably served as acting MD since July. She has maintained a strong focus on safety, operational performance and partnership and will continue to work with Bayanda as she resumes her role as COO," Bergeron said.

RBM mines and processes heavy mineral sands for titanium and zircon products near Richards Bay, on South Africa's east coast. The operation is currently advancing the Zulti South project alongside its decarbonization efforts and ongoing local procurement, enterprise development and community-partnership programs, the areas Bergeron singled out as priorities for the incoming leadership.