Surface gold miner DRDGOLD expects to report an up to 74% increase in earnings per share (EPS) and headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the financial year ended June 30, primarily on the back of a 26% year-on-year increase in revenue.

South African gold producer DRDGOLD has more than doubled its cash reserves to R1.31bn in its 2025 financial year ended June, up from R521.5m the previous year, driven by surging gold prices that offset declining production at two key operations. Commenting in a trading statement on Thursday, the company said it expected earnings per share and headline earnings per share to range between 252.4 South African cents and 267.8c, representing a 64% to 74% increase from the prior year.

DRDGOLD expects to meet its full-year production guidance after a stronger fourth quarter, the group said on Thursday. The company’s latest trading statement offered some reassurance to stakeholders after it had previously said it might miss production guidance for a second consecutive year due to heavy rains in the third quarter.

We then decided to fence the entire 400-hectare facility, which sits on about 1 500 to 2 000 hectares of land, with a concrete palisade to protect the small game from roaming dogs and hunting. Our team, who all love the outdoors, thought, “Why not see if savannah species would thrive here?” So, we reintroduced several species, and they’ve flourished. They don’t know they’re living half a meter from old mine waste—they seem to love it.

DRDGOLD turned 130 this year, making it by far the longest-lived company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and – according to CEO Niël Pretorius – the company has “at least” another 15 years of life left, drawing on the two capital projects currently under way. “Hopefully, within those 15 years more opportunities will arise so that maybe we can expand and extend. There’s lots of stockpile out there. Remember, Ergo was a 12-year project when we started it up in 2008,” says Pretorius.

We noticed wildlife like warthogs and jackal returning to the area,” CEO Niel Pretorius told Daily Maverick during a recent visit to the site, which included a helicopter ride over it and several of the dumps that DRDGOLD is remining. “So we decided to reintroduce more game here,” he said. Black wildebeest, blesbok, zebra and sable have been brought in and now graze the grasslands around the hulking tailings dam. More than 20km of sturdy fencing surrounds the facility, enclosing more than 900ha in total

Gold miner DRDGOLD has appointed Henriette Hooijer as CFO designate and as an executive director of the company with effect from July 1. Hooijer will succeed Riaan Davel, who has signalled his intention to step down from his executive role after the completion of the 2025 financial reporting season.

A qualified chartered accountant, Hooijer brings nearly a decade of leadership experience at DRDGOLD, having joined the company in 2016 as group financial SOX and compliance manager after more than a decade at KPMG. She was later promoted to financial director of Far West Gold Recoveries, playing a key role in the delivery of this highly successful project.

Her appointment forms part of the company’s succession planning, as current CFO Riaan Davel will step down from his executive role after the financial reporting season for the 2025 financial year comes to an end. It is anticipated that Hooijer will assume the office of CFO from February 1, 2026, DRDGOLD says.

As the CFO of DRDGold, Riaan Davel’s mission is to help roll back the environmental legacy of mining. For the 2024 CFO Finance & ESG Award winner it’s not about how quickly the mining giant can make money, but about how long they can mine - without compromising the environment.