South Africa's Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd (Implats) bid to take over the Australian-listed company Zimbabwe Platinum Mines Ltd (Zimplats) has met with an ambivalent reaction, reports the Dow Jones news wire.

Minority shareholders have proffered a 'mixed' reaction, indicating that Impala is unlikely to achieve 100 per cent control.

'Impala's getting about a 50-50 reaction from minority shareholders', said Zimplats managing director Roy Pitchford.

The South African giant already has a 50 per cent stake in Zimplats' business, but is seeking to acquire the balance in a deal worth nearly 200 million Australian dollars.

Some shareholders say they are happy to cash in on the premium offered by the bid, but more speculative investors want to enjoy the potential represented by the development of Zimplats' platinum deposits in Zimbabwe.

Mr Pitchford says around 15 per cent of shareholders fall into this latter category, preventing Implats from taking full control.