26 Nov 2013

Twenty-four-year-old Kutlo Ntibinyane is an ambitious young Motswana. At her age she is already rubbing shoulders with experienced diamond sorters some of who started work years before she was born. She is the youngest in her department which sits in the second floor of the Diamond Trading Centre Botswana house comprising more than 50 people.

Kutlo has a very strong conviction that with the diamond aggregation process now here in the country there are a number of opportunities that lie in wait for young Batswana aspiring to join the diamond industry.

“When you are motivated by excellence and you like to learn new things like me then nothing is impossible. I want to see myself sorting the larger stones,” she adds.

The diamond aggregation process is bringing like-to-like diamonds into a single mix for sale into the world market. The process is seen as another milestone in Botswana’s diamond beneficiation and economic diversification journey. It was projected that by the end of 2013, more than P170 million will have been invested in extensions to facilitate the full aggregation process.

Now Kutlo, who graduated from the University of Botswana with a Degree in Project and Logistics Management, wants other young Batswana to tap into opportunities that could be presented by the process.   She joined DTCB just five months after her graduation and enrolled at the in-house diamond training academy for a six-month period to be taught the diamond pipeline with particular emphasis on basic valuation and sorting. 

“I joined a group of dedicated and loyal people. I have so far learnt a great deal but I just want to learn what is happening on the ground before I can think of exploring other areas in the industry,” reckons Kutlo. 

She has been taken to the Sales department and amongst other duties she is charged with coordinating the negotiation process of Government Diamond Valuers and Valuators as far as London preparing reports and samples, amongst other things.

At the Department of Large Stones, Kutlo sorts from the two to 10 carat range but she yearns for the 14.8 special stones.

“I also envy to become a Key Account Manager. The position involves client relations management and being the mediators between DTCB and Sightholders, in essence they relay information between the two,” says the soft spoken Serowe born sorter.

Kutlo urges young people to explore downstream industries that also come along with the process. “I didn’t know about diamonds until I was here,” recalls Kutlo.

The aggregation process is the first time that the rough diamond production from other countries have come into Gaborone to be aggregated and is widely seen as a huge symbolic step in Botswana working towards being the leading diamond centre in the world.

Countries from which diamonds will be sourced are Canada, South Africa and Namibia for Sightholders world over. In an exclusive interview, Permanent Secretary to the President, Mr Eric Molale, highlights that government is in the process of optimising the complete spectrum of trading, financial, logistical and other linkage opportunities that diamond beneficiation presents.

The migration will usher in a medley of skills transfer, economic empowerment and sustainable growth opportunities. The direct supply of rough diamonds for local cutting and polishing factories and state owned Okavango Diamond Trading Company are intended to achieve sustainable downstream industries that Botswana is targeting. ENDS