Daily Maverick 168 weekly newspaper.
South Africa’s alluvial diamonds have the potential to create sustainable jobs, drive inclusive growth and aid our economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. But that will only happen if we change the archaic, rigid diamond mining legislation strangling the junior diamond mining industry in this country.
It shouldn’t cost more than half a million rand and take a year to get a permit, when the average life of an alluvial diamond concession is about 1.3 years. But it does. Alluvial diamond operators shouldn’t have to comply with 10-year social and labour plans when the average life of an alluvial mine is only one to two years. But we do.
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In December, alluvial diamond producers wrote to the Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, calling for growth-stimulating policy adjustments to support emerging alluvial diamond miners.
Mantashe is yet to respond to the issue raised by a body which represents 130 junior diamond miners.
Industry representatives say without conducive policy framework, the sector faces a slow death.
SA alluvial diamond miners want government to support them and help level the playing field, instead of applying a blanket approach to minerals policy.
As one of the countries in Africa with alluvial diamond deposits, South Africa, has potential in the industry that entrepreneurs believe remains largely untapped due to a rigid policy framework and lack of investment.