Drilling Programme Commences

Pan African Resources PLC
12 January 2006

12th January 2006

                           Pan African Resources PLC
                        ('Pan African' or 'the Company')

                  Commencement of 1000m drilling programme at
                          Manica project - Mozambique

Pan African Resources PLC (AIM:PAF), the African based gold exploration company,
announces that a 1000 m drilling programme will commence today, 12th January
2006 at its Manica project in Mozambique.

Highlights
          
     •    1000 m drilling programme to commence 12th of January 2006

     •    Drilling is planned around the Fair Bride prospect, where the Company
          is conducting a pre-feasibility study on the potential of an opencast 
          mine

     •    Collection of additional sampling material for metallurgical test work

     •    Completion expected within the next 2-3 months

The drilling programme is planned for the Fair Bride prospect ('Fair Bride')
where Pan African is currently completing a pre-feasibility study on the
potential of an open-cast mine. The preliminary purpose of the drilling is to
acquire additional material from the ore zone for metallurgical test work. The
company expects the drilling to be completed within the next 2-3 months.

Jan Nelson, Chief Executive Officer of Pan African, commented: 'An independent
person's report on the surface to near surface resource at Fair Bride is almost
complete. The drilling programme is part of the next step of the pre-feasibility
study to acquire additional rock for metallurgical test work. The sampled
material will be used to carry out flotation test work - this test work will
allow us to confirm gold recoveries'.

ENDS

For further information on Pan African Resources please visit the new website at
www.panafricanresources.com

Enquiries:

  Pan African Resources       Ambrian Partners        Parkgreen Communications
  Jan Nelson, CEO             Richard Brown /         Justine Howarth /
  [phone]             Emma Priestley          Victoria Thomas
  Colin Bird, Chairman        [phone]    [phone]
  [phone]

Notes to Editor

About The Manica Project

Pan African Resources PLC has a 100% shareholding in the Manica Project, a gold
exploration prospect to the north of Manica in Mozambique which has a surface to
near surface defined resource of 800,000 ounces of gold and considerable upside
potential.  To date, only 12% (2.4km) of the total strike-length of the 22km
long mineralized zone has been explored

Having exercised their right to do so on 9th January 2006, Pan African is in the
process of acquiring the Manica Project through the acquisition of, 100% of
Explorator Limitada, the titleholder of the Manica Project.  Pangea Exploration
(Pty) Ltd retains a 20% carried interest in the Manica Project and Pan African
has the right of first refusal for any gold projects sourced by Pangea in Africa
and developed to such a stage that Pangea requires additional funding from third
parties.


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange