Evidence before the state capture commission suggests the Gupta family had an interest in Alexkor's diamond sales and aimed to use a repurposed the mine for their own coal interests.
The teetering diamond miner Alexkor might be a lesser known victim of State Capture, but evidence before the State Capture commission suggests Gupta family associates not only had an interest in the company’s diamond sales, they also had grand plans to use a repurposed Alexkor for their own c.
The Guptas’ poisonous legacy still haunts the diamond coast of the Northern Cape. Alexkor, the state diamond mine at the mouth of the Orange River, ‘has been destroyed by corruption and State Capture’ its miners say.
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Diamonds and dirty dealings: Alexkor whistleblower testifies
The story of how a dormant shelf company with no licence to market and sell diamonds won a tender to do just that, receiving its first tranche of multi-million rand rough stones in the first month. 00:01
When the whistleblowing diamond diver started querying the prices received for rough diamonds, his contract was cancelled and his access to the site blocked. Image: Shutterstock
Gavin Craythorne, a marine diamond diver operating along the north-west coast of South Africa from Alexander Bay to Port Nolloth, testified at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into state capture on February 8 and 11.