The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Northern Cape is stunned and disappointed by the news of illegal trade in gemstones allegedly by management of Assmang mine near Kuruman in the Northern Cape.
According to reports, an illegal shipment of illicit gemstones allegedly from a mine co-owned by one of Patrice Motsepe’s companies, was stopped by South African Revenue Service (SARS) from departing OR Tambo International airport for Hong Kong and China earlier this year. The contraband, which was being smuggled out of the country by an Asian man, was intercepted by officials of SARS’ customs department after they received a tip-off from whistleblowers.
The mining company, Assmang, a joint venture between Motsepe’s African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) and a company named Assore, was implicated in the unlawful export of the gemstones, by a self-confessed trader who according to reports, stated that he “received and transacted” the sugilite from the management of Blackrock Mine, also known as Assmang and had on multiple occasions exported and/or attempted to export the sugilite gemstones, blue and purple, using Air Menzies International Freight Forwarding Services and other freight forwarding services.
The Federation views this in a very serious light and appeals to law enforcement agencies to expedite the process of arresting and prosecuting those who are on the wrong side of the law, and also ensure that thorough investigation is conducted to unearth how the gemstones left the mine and reached OR Tambo airport. It is disturbing and worrisome that the company can freely and illegally support the Zama zama management at the expense of job creation and economic growth in the region and province.
We have learnt that there is a black-owned company that possess the mineral rights to recover and trade in sugilite at the same mine but despite being legally allowed to handle and trade in such gemstones, the management of Assmang just willy-nilly decided to ignore and trample on the laws that govern minerals in our country. It is a setback that potential jobs and secondary economic activities had to be affected as a result of unethical and illegal activities by such a big company.
COSATU therefore calls on SAPS, Hawks, Department of Mineral Resources and Department of Justice including all relevant institutions to expeditiously act without fear or favour, as we cannot allow an animal farm phenomenon when it comes to law enforcement in our democratic dispensation.
Issued by COSATU Northern Cape
For more information, please contact:
Orapeleng Moraladi(COSATU Northern Cape Provincial Secretary)
Cell: 078 452 6891
Tel: 053 832 9090