Zimbabwean mining executive James Musadaidzwa has returned home to take charge of Kavango Resources plc as the London- and VFEX-listed company advances its ambition of building a sustainable, cash-generative gold mining business in Zimbabwe.
Victoria Falls Stock Exchange-listed mining and exploration junior Kavango Resources plc has appointed Musadaidzwa as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director with immediate effect, bringing more than 27 years of mining experience to the Southern Africa-focused exploration and mining company, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Musadaidzwa spent 17 years with AngloGold Ashanti, holding senior operational and executive leadership positions across several of Africa’s major gold-producing jurisdictions.
His appointment comes at a critical stage for Kavango as the company builds its operational platform in Zimbabwe and progresses towards gold production.
Most recently, Musadaidzwa served as Senior Vice President of AngloGold Ashanti’s Guinea Business Unit, where Kavango said he led a significant operational and financial turnaround.
During his tenure, the operation’s life of mine was extended from 2026 to 2034, its net present value doubled and the business returned to sustainable cash generation.
Before that, he served as Senior Vice President of Operations for AngloGold Ashanti’s Africa Region, with responsibility for four mines across Ghana, Tanzania, Mali and Guinea.
The operations collectively produced approximately 1.1 million ounces of gold annually, generated around US$2 billion in revenue and employed more than 14,000 people.
His previous roles also included Managing Director and General Manager of the Iduapriem Gold Mine in Ghana, Operations Manager at the Siguiri Gold Mine in Guinea, and senior technical and operational positions at the Geita Gold Mine in Tanzania.
Before joining AngloGold Ashanti, Musadaidzwa worked for Anglo American at the Skorpion Zinc Mine in Namibia.
Musadaidzwa Returns to Zimbabwe
For Musadaidzwa, the appointment represents a return to the country where his mining career began nearly three decades ago.
“Joining Kavango is an opportunity that carries particular significance for me. I began my mining career in Zimbabwe nearly three decades ago, and I am extremely excited to be returning to help build a mining company with the ambition to create lasting value in the country and across Southern Africa,” he said.
Musadaidzwa said his immediate focus would be working with Kavango’s team in Zimbabwe to strengthen the company’s operational capability and build on the foundation already established.
“Kavango has already established an exciting platform in Zimbabwe. My immediate priority will be to work with the team to build on that foundation, strengthen our operational capability and progress the Company towards becoming a sustainable, cash-generative mining business,” he said.
Leadership Transition
Following Musadaidzwa’s appointment, Donald McAlister has relinquished his role as Interim Chief Executive Officer and moved from Non-Executive Chairman to Executive Chairman of the company.
McAlister said Musadaidzwa’s appointment marked an important step in Kavango’s development.
“Jasper is an outstanding mining executive with a proven record of building, improving and leading major operations across Africa, and I am delighted that he has agreed to join Kavango as our new Chief Executive Officer,” McAlister said.
“Kavango has reached an important stage of its development. We have established a growing operational platform in Zimbabwe, and our ambition is to build this into a substantial and sustainable mining business, while continuing to advance the exploration potential across our wider portfolio.”
Kavango is listed in London and on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, where it completed a secondary listing in September 2025.
The company is currently developing its operational capacity in Zimbabwe, including at its Hillside Gold Project, where it has been commissioning a 50-tonne-per-day gold processing plant as part of its transition from exploration and development towards production.
Musadaidzwa’s appointment gives Kavango an experienced African mining executive at the helm as the company seeks to convert its growing Zimbabwean operational platform into a sustainable, cash-generating mining business.
