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South African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe has reached another rare milestone, joining the world’s top 1,000 richest individuals as his net worth climbed above $4 billion, according to Forbes estimates. The gain places Motsepe at No. 993 globally and makes him the fourth South African to ever cross the $4 billion wealth mark.
Motsepe enters elite $4 billion club
Motsepe’s fortune is now estimated at $4.1 billion, a level reached just weeks after media investor Koos Bekker briefly crossed the same threshold. Bekker’s net worth has since eased to about $3.8 billion, leaving Motsepe as the third South African currently worth more than $4 billion, behind luxury goods billionaire Johann Rupert and mining heir Nicky Oppenheimer.
Rupert is presently worth about $15.3 billion, while Oppenheimer’s fortune stands at roughly $10.6 billion, according to Forbes data at the time of writing. The latest rankings underscore the continued presence of South African business leaders among the world’s wealthiest, even as commodity prices and equity markets remain volatile.
Motsepe gains from mining rally
Motsepe, who became Africa’s first Black billionaire in 2008, has built his wealth largely through mining. He is the founder and largest shareholder of African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), where he owns a 45.9 percent stake. He also holds an indirect interest in Harmony Gold, South Africa’s largest gold producer, a position dating back to Harmony’s merger with Avmin in 2003.
Since the start of the year, ARM shares have risen more than 15 percent, lifting the company’s market capitalization to R48.07 billion ($2.97 billion). That increase has pushed the value of Motsepe’s stake to about R22.06 billion ($1.37 billion). Harmony Gold shares have also gained more than 12 percent, taking its market value to R232.05 billion ($14.4 billion) and raising the value of Motsepe’s indirect holding to roughly R27.38 billion ($1.69 billion).
The rise in his net worth has come alongside a strong run in gold prices, which have surged above $4,900 as markets reassessed resilient U.S. economic data and easing geopolitical tensions. Higher bullion prices have supported earnings across the gold sector, benefiting major shareholders in mining companies such as Motsepe.
Patrice Motsepe builds wealth across sectors
Beyond mining, Motsepe has broadened his business interests through African Rainbow Capital, his investment firm with holdings in financial services, technology and renewable energy. One of its most prominent investments is Tyme Group, a digital banking platform headquartered in Singapore with operations across Africa and Southeast Asia.
Taken together, those businesses have helped cement Motsepe’s standing as South Africa’s third-richest person and secured his place among the world’s top 1,000 billionaires, a list still dominated by founders and investors tied to commodities, finance and global consumer brands.
