All eyes on AngloGold

ALL eyes fall on AngloGold Ashanti, and possibly on other players in the South African mining sector, following a proposal  to unbundle Gold Fields' South African assets, a transaction that was broadly welcomed by the market.

 “I think this is a breath of fresh air,” said Peter Major, an analyst for Cadiz Corporate Solutions in Johannesburg. “I think the rest of the mining sector can take a leaf out of Gold Fields’ book, staring with AngloGold Ashanti,” he added.

 Shares in AngloGold Ashanti gained nearly four per cent in Johannesburg which some analysts interpreted as expectations the R106bn gold group might attempt a similar unbundling of its ageing South African assets.

 AngloGold Ashanti didn’t comment directly on its plans, suffice to say it has repeatedly recognised the strategy was “an option”.
 A company insider, however, commented: “It helps that someone is at the vanguard of this thing,” referring