LLD to Sign Workers Contract in Namibia Polishing Plant

LLD’s polishing plant in Windhoek, Namibia has reportedly agreed to sign full-time employment contracts with 356 employees. The workers, who are on training, have rejected a previous draft of contract. The contracts will be signed September 1.

Israeli diamond magnate Lev Leviev established the Namibian polishing facility in 2004, as Africa's largest diamond cutting and polishing plant, saying that in contrast to De Beers, he was prepared to keep Namibia's diamonds in the country and create jobs for locals rather than export them and not give the country any added value operations.

The $6.5 million factory was planed to have the capacity to polish 25,000 to 30,000 carats of diamonds monthly and employ more than 500 people once in full operation.

However the plant met a few snags. Leviev’s local marine operation, Samicor, yielded diamonds weighing 0.3 - 0.35 carats. According to an LLD source, these goods are unfitting for the plant.

Another issue was the workers contract. Some of the workers went on a two-day strike last month, protesting the proposed contract. Following the intervention of the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) the issues were resolved.

The contract will be similar to those of other polishing plants in the country.