Namibia’s mines ministry has blocked the state-owned Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) chief executive Kennedy Hamutenya’s proposal to appoint his sales manager to replace C-Sixty Investment as the company’s diamond valuator.
C-Sixty Investments’ contract to evaluate Namdia's diamonds ends in September this year.
“We are aware that the C-60 Investments agreement with the ministry is coming to an end in September 2021,” Hamutenya was quoted as saying by The Namibian newspaper as saying in a letter to mines and energy executive director Simeon Negumbo.
“We are also cognisant of the fact that MME [ministry of mines and energy] has no intentions to renew this contract when it expires and has notified C-60 Investments to that effect.”
He also proposed that Namdia key accounts manager Andries Eiseb be the authorised valuer.
However, Negumbo told the daily that the ministry rejected Namdia’s proposal.
“We have received and responded to the request from Namdia. The Ministry of Mines and Energy did not grant their request,” he said.
Hamutenya's proposal to appoint Eiseb raised a lot of eyebrows as it was seen as part of a power play in the diamond sector.
It was also alleged that Eiseb had past ties with Dubai-based diamond dealer Neil Haddock, a former De Beers dealer.
Haddock was said to be a frequent flyer between Dubai and Windhoek since 2016 to facilitate the sale of Namdia's diamonds.
He was replaced by Eiseb last year and critics felt it would be business as usual at Namdia if the key accounts manager had been allowed to evaluate the diamonds.
Namdia was previously accused of cheaply selling diamonds abroad, an allegation that Hamutenya dismissed.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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