Shaft Sinkers : Directorate Change

26 August 2014

Shaft Sinkers Holdings plc

("Shaft Sinkers" or "the Company")

Shaft Sinkers Holdings plc (LSE: SHFT), the international shaft sinking and underground construction group, is pleased to announce that Marius L Heyns has been appointed to the Board as Director and independent non-executive Chairman with immediate effect. The appointment follows the resignation of Stephen Oke who had chaired the Board since August 2012.

Mr Heyns, a South African national, has held a number of senior positions in civil engineering including the role of CEO of Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed construction, engineering and mining group Basil Read from August 2004 until his resignation in2014.

Alon Davidov, Chief Executive Officer of Shaft Sinkers, said:

"On behalf of our Board I am delighted to welcome Marius Heyns as our Chairman. His experiences, both with a variety of complex international engineering projects and in delivering sustained growth at Basil Read, will make an immediate positive impact on the Company during an important time for the Company."

"On behalf of the Company I would also like to thank Stephen Oke for his contribution during his time as Chairman of Shaft Sinkers. Stephen has supported the Company since its IPO and led the Board through a difficult period as well as a number of significant developments since that time."

Marius Heyns said:

"I am very excited to join Shaft Sinkers which is regarded as a leading company in the mining contracting industry around the world and has an impeccable reputation in South Africa for over 50 years. I look forward to working with the shareholders and board as well as the executive team to implement a recovery and growth strategy that will benefit all stakeholders."

With regards to Listing Rule 9.6.13 the following disclosures are made in relation to the new Chairman:

Ends

For further information:

Shaft Sinkers Holdings plc+44 (0) 787 595 1362

Alon Davidov, Chief Executive Officer

Chris Hall, Chief Financial Officer

Aura Financial                                                +44 (0) 207 321 0000

Michael Oke

Notes to editors

Shaft Sinkers: Shaft Sinkers Holdings specialises in the sinking of particularly deep and wide vertical and decline shafts and the development of underground infrastructure, used primarily in mining and hydropower applications.

The Group is a world leader in vertical shaft sinking with a focus on particularly deep and/or wide vertical shafts. It has the capability to sink shafts through all types of rock strata, including running sands and clay. The Group works principally for established mining and infrastructure companies.

Historically, the Group has completed projects in over 20 countries worldwide across Africa, Europe, South America, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. The Group was responsible for sinking one of the deepest ever man and material South African shafts, a secondary shaft at the Western Deep Levels to a depth of 3,131 metres below bank.

http://www.shaftsinkers.co.za/

Basil Read: Basil Read Holdings Limited (JSE BSR) has grown to become one of South Africa's leading construction companies and a JSE-listed investment since its listing in 1987. It offers services across the full spectrum of the construction industry, spanning buildings, opencast mining, road construction and civil engineering.

In 2005, Basil Read reached a milestone by becoming the first black empowerment construction company, and continues to be the leading empowerment company in its sector. Basil Read also enjoys the competitive advantage of a long-standing partnership with global construction groups Bouygues Travaux Publics SA.