Academy award-winning actress and De Beers Global Ambassador, Lupita Nyong'o, visited the world-class Venetia diamond mine in Limpopo, this week.
At Venetia, one of the world’s leading diamond mines, Nyong’o was shown how each facet of the production value chain supports sustainable development.
She was also taken on an immersive tour of the 32 000 hectare Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve adjacent to the mine, which is owned and managed by De Beers and provides safe and protected habitat for a wide array of flora and fauna, including threatened and endangered species, as part of De Beers Group’s wide-ranging conservation efforts.
Nyong’o was shown how, through Venetia’s comprehensive Social and Labour Plans, De Beers is empowering communities local to the mine through projects that support equal opportunities for women and girls, promote education and early childhood development, advance local entrepreneurs and provide essential infrastructure support such as water and road upgrades.
"I have had a relationship with De Beers jewellery for a while now and I was very curious to go to the source and experience the journey a diamond makes first hand. It was a pleasure to meet with the people at the mine, and I was especially struck by the female staff who are breaking barriers and having real success in a sector that has traditionally been the realm of men. It was illuminating and inspiring to meet women from the surrounding communities who occupy and thrive in technical roles, as drill operators, geologists, and engineers,” Nyong’o said.
De Beers Group Managed Operations CEO, Moses Madondo, said: “We were delighted to host Lupita at Venetia and to showcase our world class operations. There have been a lot of misperceptions about diamond mining, so it was real pleasure to have the opportunity to show Lupita the best-practice employment and sustainability standards we have at Venetia, highlight some of the vital ways in which the mine supports and advances the local community, and to take her to our majestic Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve, which is home to some of South Africa’s most celebrated wildlife. We’re incredibly proud of the positive impact that natural diamonds create in our host countries and communities, where they are a true catalyst for sustainable development.”
Commencing production in 1993, Venetia is South Africa’s leading diamond mine, accounting for around 40% of the country’s natural diamond production. The mine is currently transitioning to underground operations to extend its life, and the jobs and benefits it provides, until at least the mid-2040s.
The US$2.3 billion underground development project represents the biggest single investment in the country’s diamond mining industry in decades. The transition to underground operations also involves re-training Venetia’s more than 4 000-strong workforce in the new, high-tech skills needed to run the largely mechanised operation, supported by a dedicated centre of excellence.