By Rorisang David Mahlo
“Arguments never solved
themselves, and similarly solutions never imposed themselves where there are difference
of opinion, however, it is only when we take initiative to work collaboratively
as team that we can get to the bottom our differences,” Hon. Keketso Sello
uttered this words on a public gathering during his official visit to Kolo Mine
(Reskol Diamond) on Thursday 9th November, 2017.
The objective of this visit was a
threefold outreach: Firstly, just as prescribed in the Mines and Minerals Act
of 2005 to regulate through monitoring of the progress since Reskol is on its
Mine trial stage. Secondly, to practice an open door policy by opening a
platform of talks between the Ministry and the community and lastly, to check the
state of existing relations between Reskol Mine and its neibouring communities
surrounding the Mine.
After listening very carefully to
various speakers who represented the community from different denominations,
Hon. Sello thanked everyone and assured the community that he will always be
there for them since he made an oath to serve his Majesty and to be a policy
leader when he accepted the mandate to come and oversee and rein the Ministry
of Mining.
One of those areas that he
responded with a promised to both Kolo Community and Reskol Mine was the issue
of installation of grid electricity. In his address, Hon. Sello publicly
announce that he will solicit some back up support from Hon. Leeto Putsoane, the
newly elected Kolo Constituency and as a member of the current Parliament.
Moreover, Hon. Sello went on to
show that “as a means of double bargaining and application of strategy of
winning the hearts of your voters, you and I will have to join forces in the
Parliament to lay an urgent request for installation of grid power in this
constituency for the benefit of Kolo Community and to help cut the operating
costs for this Mine,” said Hon. Sello sending the message to Hon. Putsoane.
He concluded his speech with a
key message of directives to Reskol Mine, by reminding them of their commitment
signed in their lease agreement. “I am expecting to see you in harmonious
relations with this community surrounding you and that is a commitment that
starts with you and it will be reciprocated back if you do it right.” said Hon.
Sello.
Besides that, this event
commenced with the tour of progress monitoring of the Mine. In this regard Hon.
Sello took a tour to literally bear witness on the progress made together with
the Reskol team who were by his side to explain the details, technicalities,
achievements and challenges the company is facing on its trial operations.
On the positive side of Reskol
achievements and even before the lapse of their shortest space of six months’ period
allocated for their trial mining, one of the Reskol Directors reported to the
public gathering that, “to this far we have managed to mine and treated up to
ten thousand five hundred tones.” said Mike Renolds.
Again, it
is in this tour that Kolo Mine Geologist Mr. John Sejake also explained the geological formation at Kolo Kimberlite
Pipe to the Hon. Minister of Mining. “As everyone can clearly see, the
geological formation here is in such a way that, Kolo Pipe has two kinds of
Kimberlite types, which are type A and B,” said Sejake. He also went on to
explain the difference between type (A) which is the gray rock, as a tough nut
to crack (hard to process) and (B) which is the cream white rock, which he
described as the easy one to process in the plant.
Adding that both types of rocks
require a different treatment plants to ensure better results, of which is the
main reason why they had to temporarily suspend their operations and start soil
and rock sampling that would ultimately determine the specific suitable plant
to process and treat both types without any hustle or damage inflicted on the
target precious stones.
According to Kolo Geologist Mr.
Sejake, indicated that Reskol Diamond has decided to suspend operations and
reported to the regulating Ministry from last month - October 2017 to date of which is considered a lose on their mining
business point of view.
Furthermore, the Hon. Minister walked
around the side to inspect the Mine to verify every reported details inclusive
of checking all the plant and its functionality, plant condition and capacity for
the stage in which they are operating within, and many other minute details.
Immediately after the mine
inspection, the Hon. Ministers entourage joined Kolo community at Chief Bereng
Seeiso` chieftaincy public gathering grounds where the community issues were
presented. On Behalf of the Kolo Community, the Chair Person of the Committee
linking the community with the Mine Mrs. `Mamahlape Hlapane, reported a quite
mammoth list of the grievances but putting them in their order of priority.
First and for most, Mrs. Hapane
reported to the Minister and his team about the discrepancies that happened as
a result of intervention made on the 20th of October, 2017 of
cutting the set initial direct link between the community and Mine, that caused
a dead silence between the two parties and the fear is, in the mist of that
silence, a lot seem to be happening in the mine; and the community can only see
but there is no feedback or any form of communication reported back to the
community till to date.
Secondly, Mrs Hlapane complained
about the unfulfilled water installation promise to the village as their basic
need especially during the dry times like the one that they are in at the
moment. Instead the villagers learned that Reskol has drilled their own pair of
blowhole that benefits only the Mine discriminating the benefiting villagers.
Third and as the last in their
priority was a construction of an access road to and from the very closest
villages to the Mine which are Ha Petlane and Ha Nkhabu.
In general, Reskol Diamond Mine
was granted Mining concession way back in 2011 under the auspices of the then
Ministry of Natural Resources and will be expiring in 2021. This company (Reskol
Diamond) succeeded the Engel Diamonds that came before and that did the
prospecting work, though it was ultimately dissolved.
