Lesotho, which hosts Lucapa Diamond and Gem Diamonds, has opened up more border posts to foreign mineworkers following a lock-down that was introduced last March.
The country had only one out of the three border posts, which was being used by thousands of mineworkers who were re-entering the country from South Africa.
“We’ve resolved the issue and now we have three border posts,” Minerals Council South Africa environment, health and legacies senior executive Nikisi Lesufi was quoted by Mining Weekly as saying during a virtual Covid-19 update briefing.
“So, we are able to bring in up to 450 people per day from South Africa and we can bring in about 400 a day from Mozambique.”
Lesufi said the three Lesotho border posts had a re-entry processing capacity of between 130 and 150 people a day.
At least 4000 workers were expected to re-enter South Africa from Mozambique through one border post.
Gem Diamonds recommenced mining operations at Letšeng on 27 April after Maseru permitted the re-opening of diamond mines in the country, previously subjected to a lockdown order.
Lucapa placed the Mothae mine on care and maintenance programme during the lockdown.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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