Africa-Press – Lesotho. In just a year after the government has extended an amnesty for the declaration and surrender of diamonds that were in possession to unlicensed holders and dealers, artisanal miners can now lawfully mine diamonds.
These developments are borne of the recently published Mines and Minerals(Amendment) Act, 2022 that has paved a way for artisanal miners to enter into the diamond-mining business.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, the Minister of Mining Hon. Serialong Qoo said his Ministry can now conduct outreach programmes to sensitize the prospective diamond dealers about the legal requirements to mine diamonds. “The purpose of the Mines and Minerals Amendment Act is to make provisions for the inclusion of diamonds in the granting of mineral permits.
“The Act also authorizes artisanal and small-scale mining for diamonds to only Basotho in an effort to improve their livelihoods and to enhance Lesotho’s economy, and [as] such,
the permit cannot be transferred or encumbered,” reads the Act. He said now that the law has been enacted allowing artisanal mining, the Ministry will begin to process and issue the licenses to the prospective small-scale miners. According to the Ministry, this Act is envisaged to alleviate poverty and contributes to the development of the communities where mining takes place.
The Government’s policy direction is aimed at establishing linkages and using the linkages created for developing economic diversification opportunities, enabling domestic integration, enhancing opportunities for value-adding downstream processing and upstream manufacture of mining inputs,” reads the Minerals and Mining Policy, 2015 in pertinent part.
We want to produce a lot of millionaires in the country,” said the Minister. Qoo further took swipe at detractors, saying they want to decentralize mining and fight monopoly. A member of the artisanal mining committee Relebohile Molefe said she is comfortable with the manner in which the Ministry has handled this issue, adding that it is not discriminatory. She also urged the Commissioner of Mines to ensure that the processing and issuances of mineral permits run smoothly.
Also reacting to these developments, another committee member, Lebohang Ramone said the journey was riddled with challenges but eventually all the efforts invested in the process had paid off as there is now a law that will recognize the operations of artisanal miners. Ramone said before the advent of this law, Basotho were hard done as they would mine other minerals but diamonds. “I am happy that the law has been passed that permits Basotho to engage in mining operations in their country,” he said adding that small-scale mining will counter high rate of unemployment and poverty.
For his part, the Commissioner of Mines, Pheello Tjatja said they want to decriminalize” diamonds. The Commissioner said their long-term vision is to have a diamond manufacturing industry that will facilitate the cutting, polishing, and sale of diamonds in the country. The Ministry of Mining Principal Secretary (PS) Advocate Tšokolo Maina said the processes are in place to hire a diamond evaluator whose duty is to verify the quality of diamonds. According to the provisions of the Act, the mineral permit can be issued to Basotho nationals to
conduct mining operations in an area not exceeding 100m . The Minister said the diamond dealers have the latitude to choose a place where they would conduct their operations.
He said they will work with local authorities, chiefs, and local councilors in the control and regulation of the mining activities. He also appealed to Basotho nationals who are engaging in illegal mining in South Africa to come
home and mine lawfully. Prior to this Amendment, the Mines and Minerals Act, of 2005 did not recognize the mining of precious stones by small-scale miners.
Qoo said there will be working in concert with the Ministries of Health, Local Government and Chieftainship, Forestry and Soil Conservation, and Security agencies.
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