Nosiphiwo Mzamo: South Africa’s State Diamond Trader to buy diamonds from other African countries

South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) is set to buy diamonds from other African countries starting with Botswana. SDT’s chief executive Nosiphiwo Mzamo told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa at the country’s inaugural diamond show, which...

10 february 2025

Edahn Golan: Halo effect from lab-grown diamonds driving high demand for large, 2-carat natural stones in the U.S.

Edahn Golan, owner of the eponymous Edahn Golan Diamond Research and Data, told Rough & Polished's Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that their research found a halo effect from lab-grown diamonds. He said the trend among lab-grown diamond...

27 january 2025

Paul Zimnisky: We will see a modest recovery in natural diamond demand and prices in 2025

According to Paul Zimnisky, an independent diamond and jewellery analyst and consultant based in the New York metro area, the natural diamond industry will see a modest recovery in demand and prices this year. Zimnisky said a moderate recovery would...

13 january 2025

African Diamond Council makes traceability its top priority, wants KP to embrace Authentia.io

The African Diamond Council (ADC) has made traceability its foremost priority and has been contributing to a traceability solution called Authentia.io for the last three and a half years, which is now ready to globally satisfy the traceability...

16 december 2024

Gaetano Cavalieri: CIBJO leading the jewelry industry on critical issues

One of the gem and jewellery industry’s most well-known and respected personalities, Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, has been the president of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), for the past 23 years. CIBJO is the oldest international organisation...

09 december 2024

Implats lifts suspension of workers who led an underground sit-in at Bafokeng

10 january 2024

Impala Platinum (Implats) has agreed to revoke the suspension notices that were previously issued to 38 employees who participated in an underground sit-in at the Bafokeng North and South shafts in South Africa last month. 

These employees were deemed to have represented the workforce during the incident.

Implats re-evaluated its position in response to the concerns raised by the regional branch of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

The miner has asked the employees to provide specific representations in support of or in mitigation of their conduct, according to Mining Weekly.

NUM said Implats committed to revisiting and re-engaging the union on all concerns addressed in the workers' demands once the situation has stabilised.

“We remain open to constructive engagement but hold firm that this can only be successfully conducted in an environment where statutory safety and labour requirements are upheld,” Implats said.

Meanwhile, the NUM has issued a demand for the resumption of work by all of its members.

On December 18, Implats reported an unlawful sit-it at Bafokeng Rasimone.

The incident was attributed to misunderstandings that were exposed due to the change of ownership at Impala Bafokeng.

This encompassed apprehensions regarding the conversion of the historical employee profit-sharing arrangement to an employee share ownership trust, at the employees' discretion, in addition to uncertainties regarding the capacity to distribute accumulated pension fund balances.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished