By Petronella Sibeene WINDHOEK Paladin’s Executive General Manager of Operations and Development, Garnet Halliday (50), has died. He died together with a South African pilot, Frank van Vuuren, in a plane crash yesterday near Lilongwe, Malawi. Halliday was in Malawi as the head of a team preparing for the construction of the Kayelekera Uranium mine. Paladin Resources Limited Chairman, Rick Crabb, announced this yesterday. “Garnet was a dear friend to all of us, and his death is a great personal loss. Garnet played a pivotal role in the successful development and set-up of the Langer Heinrich Mine in Namibia”, says Crabb. He added that Paladin would seek an open and thorough investigation and, until the full facts concerning the crash are known, it is inappropriate to make further comment. Paladin is an Australian company operating in the mineral resource sector, with focus on uranium. It has projects in Australia and Africa. Production commenced on the Langer Heinrich Uranium Project in Namibia, and preparations are under way for the Kayelekera Project in Malawi. These are believed to be the two most advanced uranium projects in southern Africa.