By Business Reporter – Thursday 9 January 2020
HARARE (Mining Index) – MINERALS Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) has cautioned diamond buyers and the business community saying there are no independent certified diamond agents in Zimbabwe.
The warning follows reports of unscrupulous agents purporting to have been approved by MMCZ to purchase diamonds in the country.
Various social media groups are awash with individuals and companies masquerading as bona fide diamond agents fully accredited by MMCZ.
“Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) wishes to advise the diamond customers, business community and all stakeholders, that it is the sole marketer of all minerals including diamonds produced in Zimbabwe except gold and silver. As such, MMCZ does not have any approved, certified nor accredited diamond agents.”
“It has regrettably come to the attention of MMCZ that there are unscrupulous criminal elements masquerading as MMCZ agents that are misrepresenting the country by acting as Zimbabwean diamond trade middlemen. In particular, MMCZ wishes to distance itself from the dealings of Kaluba Diamonds, a company that is fraudulently using MMCZ’s logo in its documents,” cautioned MMCZ in a statement.
“The process of diamond sales is a transparent one where business people do not need to be connected to any official or use any other agent. Therefore, MMCZ wishes to advise its valued customers and stakeholders that anybody willing to do diamond business with the Corporation should not go through anybody else regardless of their societal position. The registration of prospective customers should be done through MMCZ only and is free of any charge,” said MMCZ.
The birth of the Zimbabwe National Diamond Policy in December 2018 saw only four companies approved to explore and mine diamonds in Zimbabwe; the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), Murowa Diamonds, Alrosa of Russia and Anjin from China.
The diamond sector has been a controversial subject in Zimbabwe as those with diamond mining interests had hoped for the nationalisation of the diamond sector, as in the case of gold, to allow more players, small scale diamond miners to have diamond concessions. ENDS//
