Africa-Press – Lesotho. A new diamond mine fully owned by a Mosotho will begin operations in Mokhotlong next month. Speaking at the official launch of the venture, Mines Minister Serialong Qoo said the mine is projected to be of similar size to Letšeng Diamonds Mine.
“This is the first of three mines that will have ground-breaking ceremonies before the end of this year,” Qoo said. Qoo said his ministry is on a mission to empower and equip locals so that they can benefit significantly from the country’s natural resources.
“We are hoping that this milestone will bear good fruits for Basotho, that it achieves more than what the already existing mines have achieved,” Qoo said.
The chairman of the Parliamentary Economic Cluster, Kimetso Mathaba, said they are happy that Basotho are also entering the mining sector at this stage.
Mathaba said jobs that will be created will not only help the government to mitigate the escalating unemployment numbers but it will also help towards poverty eradication.
“What is left is for us to see the mine complying and operating within the law. We wish the mine all the best and may it bring significant change in the lives of Basotho.
It is high time Basotho benefit from Lesotho’s natural resources,” Mathaba said. Deputy Prime Minister Mathibeli Mokhothu said it is exciting to see a local getting into the mining sector not to run an already existing mine but to build one.
“It is also good to see a Mosotho being issued with a mining licence even better a Mosotho from Mokhotlong where the mine will be built,” Mokhothu said.
“The first thing that makes me happy about the construction of this mine is that it will decrease the high unemployment numbers,” he said.
“Every time when we come here residents of Mokhotlong complain that their district has diamonds in abundance but they never benefit.
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While hiring, he said, mines tend to hire people from other districts even for jobs that can be easily done by residents like cleaning and security services.
“It is my hope that this mine will change things so that Mokhotlong residents will get jobs and the rest of Basotho will also benefit,” he said.
“What I find to be even more exciting is the fact that I am told by experts that through their investigations this mine’s size is said to be similar to that of Letšeng Diamonds.
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The mine is owned by Lehlohonolo Nthontho who now has the tag of the first Mosotho to be awarded a mining licence.
Most of the licences have been issued to foreign companies in the past. Mokhothu said the mine will benefit Basotho as diamonds can be mined for decades.
This way unemployed Basotho can get jobs and fight poverty. Nthontho of Thaba Telle Mining Company expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Mines for heeding his request and issuing him with a licence.
“We are here today for the sod turning ceremony because we were awarded a licence for mining.
I would like to thank the Minister of Mining for his guidance and support throughout the process to get here,” Nthontho said. He said that he is hopeful that the mine will succeed.
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