The performance of the State Diamond Trader, which was set up to promote the local beneficiation of diamonds, was not satisfactory, Parliament’s mineral resources committee has concluded. Diamond exporters have to make up to 10% of their rough diamonds available to the State Diamond Trader so that it can supply historically disadvantaged beneficiators. The finding was made in the committee’s report on the annual 2017-18 performance plan of the Department of Mineral Resources and its entities. "The business model of the State Diamond Trader, by the admission of its CEO, remains flawed and in need of urgent review," the report said. "The State Diamond Trader has the highest budget of all the entities managed by the department. It has, however, failed to make full use its legal entitlement to sell up to 10% of SA’s diamonds, to the targeted group (historically disadvantaged individuals). "It buys less than 3% of its 10% quota of diamond production, and under its watch diamond beneficia...
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