There is a ‘diamond’ rush in the village of KwaHlathi in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, according to media reports.
Reuters reports that more than 1,000 fortune seekers flocked to the village in search of the precious stones after the discovery of unidentified stones in the area.
People from across the country travelled to the area to join villagers who had been digging since Saturday.
A herd man was said to have initially dug up the first stone on an open field.
However, some people went on Twitter claiming that the alleged diamonds were quartz crystals.
"This (alleged diamond recovery) means our lives will change because no one had a proper job, I do odd jobs,” said one digger Mendo Sabelo.
“When I returned home with them, (the family was) overjoyed," said the 27-year-old father of two.
The discovery was a life changer, as he held a handful of tiny stones.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s mines department said it was sending a team comprising of geological and mining experts to the site to collect samples and conduct an analysis.
The department said a formal technical report will be issued in due course.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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