Lüderitz diamond divers go back to sea

DIAMOND divers are to resume operations in the middle of September after Namdeb halted mining activities on short notice since April 7.

The moratorium was lifted after a meeting with the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the diamond mining contractor last week, and interventions from Karas governor Clinton Swartbooi and regional councillor of the Lüderitz constituency Jan Scholtz. The divers are contracted under Namdeb as the licence holder, which pulled the plug presumably because of a fatality at the Lüderitz harbour shortly before. Namdeb brand manager Pauline Thomas said the company is busy clarifying the legal implications of the decision, and can only allow operations to resume once this has been confirmed. She said the reason why Namdeb had stopped the operations of the diamond divers was ‘primarily a question of legal accountability’ for the health and safety of the small mining operators. ‘Due to the independent nature of these operations, Namdeb is not able to provide health and safety assurance for the operators, and each of these operators is expected to assume this responsibility for themselves,’ said Thomas. She added the legal interpretation at the time of the death at the Lüderitz harbour meant that Namdeb would have been accountable for the health and safety of the operators. The meeting last week resolved that the operators would take responsibility for the health and safety of their own operations. Thomas said the company still has to ensure that this decision is legally valid. Scholtz expressed his doubts that Namdeb’s main concern was the safety record of diamond mining. According to available statistics, there was one fatality on a diamond boat in 1990 when an employee suffered a heart attack. Another worker died in 1996 in a diving accident. He also claims Namdeb issued a list of 25 requirements as prerequisite for the resumption of operations of the diamond divers. Thomas said the company is not aware of such a list, but that there is an external review of the safety of shallow marine operators during April, which resulted in a number of recommendations to improve safety standards. Although the exact financial losses during the period the diamond divers were not allowed to operate could not be determined, Scholtz said the sector on average brings in N$25 million per year into the local economy of the town. Additionally, he said, this also would amount to N$3 million in diamond taxes and N$5 million in personal taxes. ‘We are very happy for the resumption of work for the diamond miners; many were at the point of retrenching workers because there was no income,’ said Scholtz. ‘[It] brings much joy to the Lüderitz constituency and also the families of the miners; so many people depended on them and meant a boost in the economy of the town.’

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.

The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.