21 Jul 2019

 The 1758 carat diamond recently discovered from Lucara Diamond Corp’s Karowe Diamond Mine has been officially named Sewelo by Mr Gofaone Tlhabuswe from Gabane, who is an employee of Botswana Qualifications Authority.

The name, which translates as “rare find”, was officially revealed during Lucara Diamond dinner graced by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi and First Lady, Neo Masisi, recently.

President Masisi commended Lucara for affording Batswana the opportunity to name their rare dazzling stone, and applauded the company for its commitment in the empowerment and development of the people of Boteti Sub-district.

This, he said was further confirmation of Lucara’s commitment to ensuring Batswana had a share in their diamond.

Dr Masisi emphasised that it was government’s desire and dream to see the Botswana DNA in the story of diamonds wherever diamonds occurred. 

For that reason, he commended Lucara for doing a sterling job through its corporate social responsibility initiatives, which he said were reflective of its warm relationship with Botswana government.

“And because diamonds are finite and even those in Botswana would be exhausted one day. So, we want to tag into the value chain of diamonds and the intellectual and unique value propositions brought on by Batswana,” he said.

“So, when we have a company like Lucara, which is very committed to optimising the resource through the utilisation of the best technology. Why would we not want to join the journey as Botswana, in Botswana?” he added.

Dr Masisi said Lucara made a smart move of procuring Karowe from De Beers and had been able to prove beyond  reasonable doubt that it was indeed a good buy. 

He also thanked the company for appointing Ms Naseem Lahri as the first female managing director of a mining house in Botswana and ensuring that about 80 per cent of its management team were females.

In her welcome address, Lucara Botswana managing director, Ms  Lahri, said Lucara Diamond began its mining journey seven years ago and the company had gone full circle and established itself as a bespoke miner. 

“Well known for the world’s exceptional diamonds. This is the fit that we are very proud to have earned through our dedication to some of the finest processing technology in the world, through our committed and dedicated workforce and through the adherence to safe mining policies and practices,” she said. 

This dedication, Ms Lahri said, continued to earn Lucara Diamond the desirable tag of ‘An incident free mine’, making it the safest in the world. In May 2019, she said the company celebrated a two-year loss time injury free operation and still ongoing, touch wood.

“An amazing milestone, achieved by an exceptional team. As a prelude to our seventh birthday in April, we are also gathered here to celebrate another distinctive feature of Lucara Botswana, which is our heart and soul. 

Like our diamonds, Lucara Botswana’s social responsibility initiatives or impact investing, is world class and unique,” she added.

Since diamonds are forever, she said her company wanted to ensure that communities were forever sustainable, ‘by ensuring that sustainability is beyond the life of mine, because we see the potential of communities and thrive to unearth community projects of various kinds.’

In his vote of thanks, Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security; Mr Eric Molale, thanked President Masisi for taking keen interest in how Lucara Diamond was doing. 

Mr Molale also thanked Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane, who also attended the dinner, for having been a strong encouragement of Lucara Diamond to grow.

The dinner was also attended by Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Nonofo Molefhi and Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness and also Boteti East MP, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe and Letlhakane Kgosi, Kgosi Baruntshi Kegapetswe. ENDS