JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 19, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) (Pink Sheets:IMPUY) (Other OTC:IMPAF) (JSE:IMP) (LSE:IPLA) (ADRS:IMPUY)is pleased to announce two senior appointments within the company:
Mike Teke (40), has been appointed Human Resources Executive at the company's Head Office with effect from 1 April 2005, following the retirement of Humphrey Oliphant who has made a valuable contribution to the company over a period of 13 years. Mike was formerly Vice President Human Resources at BHP Billiton's Ingwe Collieries. He began his career as a Business Economics teacher in 1990, joining the Human Resources discipline with Lever Ponds in 1992. He has held various senior human resources and training positions in recent years, and joined BHP Billiton in 2000.
Shadwick Bessit (43), currently General Manager Mining Operations, will assume the position of Operations Executive: Rustenburg with effect from 1 June 2005. This follows the retirement of Paul Visser, following a long and successful career at these operations over a period of 36 years. Shadwick gained extensive experience in the gold mining industry prior to joining Impala in October 2002. Having started his mining career within AngloGold Limited as a shift overseer at Vaal Reefs in 1991, he progressed through the ranks and has held the position of General Manager at the Elandsrand, Deelkraal and the Savuka mines. In his new capacity, Shadwick will be responsible for mining operations and Mineral Processes. Implats' Rustenburg operations comprise 13 shafts and five declines, employing about 27,500 people. Production from this operation is in the region of 1.0 to 1.1 million ounces of platinum per annum, the largest single platinum-producing entity in the world, with an expected life-of-mine of 30 years.