Africa-Press – Eswatini. Chairperson of Inyatsi Construction Group Holdings (Pty) Ltd Michelo Shakantu is partnering with international mining giants to prospect for diamonds at Madlangampisi.
Shakantu’s company, Original Resources (PTY) LTD, owns 3 000 shares in Diamonds of Eswatini, according to documents gathered from the Registry of Companies. His business partners, Botswana Diamonds, represented by internationally renowned mining magnate James AH Campbell, own a majority stake of 6 000 shares. Millionaire Canadian Businessman Sunir Chandaria represents the Barazi Group, which owns a minority 1 000 shares. The company, by its registration, can mine, quarry or beneficiate diamonds.
The registration also grants the company the right to ‘develop and turn to account in any manner whatsoever, any land or property acquired by or in which the company is interested, and/or in respect of which it may have any rights to lease and hire out any such property’. It was said that the capital of the company is E10 000 divided into 10 000 fully paid up shares of E1 each, with power to increase or reduce such capital and to divide into shares the original capital.Shakantu’s Inyatsi Group Holdings recently acquired a number of business entities, including the Eswatini Meat Industries, now known as Embiveni. Also in the Group’s portfolio are The Clinic Group, Lidwala Insurance, Infracast, Maloma Colliery, Construction Associates, Eswatini Mobile and others.
The Minerals Management Board (MMB) yesterday introduced Diamonds of Eswatini to the chiefs of areas between Dvokolwako and Nkambeni in the Hhohho Region. The event was held at Madlangampisi Constituency centre. The Chairperson of the MMB Prince Guduza, Hhohho Regional Administrator (RA) Princess Tsandzile, Minister of Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe and members of the MMB, Jacob Manzini, Sihle Mashaba, Gideon Gumedze and its Secretary Robert Biyela, attended the event.
Also present were representatives of Diamonds of Eswatini, who were led by Jabu Shabangu and some community members, who were keen to know about the prospects of employment as currently, the unemployment rate, as per the Labour Survey of 2021, conducted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, stands at 33.3 per cent. Madlangampisi Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Allen Vilane and the constituency councillors were present as well.
Chiefs
Princess Tsandzile introduced the chairperson of the MMB and highlighted that it had become a norm for the latter to inform her office to bring together chiefs regarding mining opportunities. The RA pleaded for more mines in the Hhohho Region. On the other hand, Prince Guduza informed the attendees that they were sent by His Majesty King Mswati III to present Diamonds of Eswatini to the leaders of the chiefdoms. He said: “If you see them moving about, know that they are legally doing so and kindly assist them.” Diamonds of Eswatini will be prospecting in an area between two chiefdoms at Nkambeni and Dvokolwako. The area to be prospected by Diamonds of Eswatini (Pty) Ltd is about 75 kilometres north-east of Manzini.
Meanwhile, the MMB chairperson said in the past, there was Dvokolwako Diamond Mine, which was not operational. He said the incoming company – Diamonds of Eswatini – shall be prospecting and their licence was valid for a year. Prospecting is a range of activities that help determine if there are minerals under the ground in a specific area. If, during the exploration process, it is identified that the minerals could be commercially extracted, mining in the upcoming periods could ensue. Prince Guduza explained that there were many processes that were adhered to before a company applied for a mining licence. He said these processes did not happen overnight as mining was an expensive investment, which needed a huge capital.
The chairperson said it was for that reason that the company prospecting for the minerals should have ample time to establish if it was worth investing in that particular project. “As they prospect, anything is possible. They may find that there are no minerals (but) our prayers are that they find them so that there could be job opportunities,” said Prince Guduza.
On the other hand, Diamonds of Eswatini’s representative, who is also Maloma Colliery Limited’s acting chief executive officer (CEO), expressed gratitude to MMB for granting them the prospecting licence.
It is worth noting that Inyatsi Group of Companies, through a company known as Mine X, became 50 per cent owners of Maloma Colliery in 2020, after buying out Chancellor House Holdings, which is an investment arm of South Africa’s ruling political party the African National Congress (ANC). Shabangu, speaking on behalf of Diamonds of Eswatini, also extended appreciation to the chiefs who attended the event. She said this would assist in making the faces of the people who would be on the ground familiar to the community leaders.
Officers
She said the company shall have a number of officers who will be leading the prospecting of the minerals. Shabangu said they had also requested the presence of the police and the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) as they go about this exercise. Shabangu said: “His Majesty King Mswati III said the country should attain First World status and ours is to adhere to this command.” She said they were optimistic that their prospecting endeavour would lead to the discovery of minerals, which in turn, would lead to the creation of jobs, bring development to the communities through investments. Shabangu concluded with the hope that they would return to the MMB seeking a mining licence.
Meanwhile, representing the chiefs was Chief Ndlaluhlaza. He said they were grateful that the King was bringing opportunities to the community. The chief said as Christians, they had faith that while the company was prospecting, they would find diamonds. He said their prayer was in pursuit of the development of the country as it would mean jobs and investment opportunities in the communities. Chief Ndlaluhlaza said the chiefs were committed to extending any form of assistance to Diamonds of Eswatini. “We’ve also noticed that most of the people who shall be leading the project (prospecting) are qualified individuals; so, like in golf, we believe that they shall need caddies. We have people who will carry their bags and do the jobs for the experts,” he said.
Chief Ndlaluhlaza said job opportunities were scarce and they were hoping that from the prospecting stage, community members would get an opportunity to earn something. He said for many, the opening of schools on Tuesday was distressing as it required people to be financially stable. On the other hand, an expert in the mining sector shared that the prospecting exercise could bring about 150 jobs for locals and that in most instances, the residents of the area are considered. Regarding the jobs, the expert said it usually depended on the size of the place that was being explored. It is worth noting that employment opportunities that normally come with a diamond mine include the recruitment of geologists, technicians, engineers, drillers, metallurgists, sorters, administration officers and more.
Meanwhile, this publication, at the beginning of the month, reported that Diamonds of Eswatini (Pty) Ltd was said to have been granted the prospecting licence by the Minerals Management Board subsequent to the first phase of the geoscientific mapping and characterisation of the landscape of the Kingdom of Eswatini. It was said Diamonds of Eswatini had shown interest in prospecting subsequent to the geoscientific mapping and characterisation of the landscape of the Hhohho and the Manzini Regions. According to the Mining Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, procedures for acquiring a prospecting right, mining right or concession start with lodging an application to the commissioner of mines whereby the interested company states the type of right sought; reconnaissance, prospecting and or mining.
The department states that subsequent to this, the commissioner of mines acknowledges receipt of the application and then appraises the contents, suitability and relevance of the project at the targeted area and makes a report based on the specific requirements, which are tabulated on each type of application. After this process, the commissioner of mines then forwards the application to the Minerals Management Board for consideration, which leads to the latter inviting the project proponent to motivate his project in the form of a presentation. After the presentation, it is said the Minerals Management Board evaluates the application using a criteria developed within the legislative framework and makes a recommendation and advises the Ingwenyama, accordingly.
Recommendation
Thereafter, it is said the Ingwenyama makes a final decision, based on the recommendation of the Minerals Management Board and other supporting information, which may have been supplied at the time of application or presentation. Thereon, the ministry states that the project proponent is notified, in writing, of the outcome of his/her application. It is worth noting that the prospecting license was granted almost 13 years after an effort to recruit 2 500 people at the dormant Dvokolwako Diamond Mine. This was when Roux Consolidated Investments, owned by South African property magnate Roux Shabangu along with a local director Jabulani Ngatane Dlamini, sought to bring life to the mine.
On the other hand, the Strategic Road Map 2019-2022 identified mining as a pillar of economic recovery. In light of this, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy in 2021, embarked on an airborne geophysical survey to identify natural resource deposits in the kingdom. It was said for any meaningful investment to take place in this sector of the economy, the country is required to have quality and reliable geoscientific data and information to entice (convince) potential mining investors to spend in the kingdom on available minerals for use in various technological industries.
Source: times
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