In September in Paris, France at the official opening of the world famous show the 28th Biennale des Antiquaires Swiss jewelry company De Grisogono hosted an inauspicious event. They had important news for the global fashion and jewellery media gathered under the giant dome of the Grand Palais. Fawaz Gruosi, the 64 year old Lebanese Italian –born founder of Swiss jewellery specialists De Grisogono is to the jewellery industry what Argentinian striker Lionel Messi is to the world of football.
The black diamond specialist, the heart and soul of Swiss jewellers has the sleepy look of a recovering Don, big eyes, bushy eyebrows, slicked-back hairstyle and a slow almost monotone delivery with a Mediterranean accent. All this completed by a face that has the uncanny ability to combine a seriousness and quiet charm. With a model by his side, De Grisogono paused for a moment, snatched away a black cloth and revealed a giant stone, a proud smile covering his face as he surveyed the media. There were quiet ‘oohh’ and ‘ahhs’ as cameras snapped. Before the press was The Constellation, the world most expensive rough diamond. The stone had been bought by a Dubai-based firm for $63m a year before, and now it was within the possession of the most recognised names in design, in the most recognized city in the fashion world.
In an official De Grisogono video, Nickolas Polak, Director of Nemesis International Director was effusive. “This stone is just an incredible gift from other nature. Its over 800 carats. Its so perfect. Imagine it being birthed by the earth, given to all of us to see and to be able to have something of this beauty in one place under one roof is really incredible”.
About a 8 400 kilometres away, in the dusty environs of the diamond rich Letlhakane area, a middle aged man was having trouble getting his septic finger fixed after an accident at work. It was the same finger that first touched The Constellation, and the man was a young diamond sorter Tiroyaone Mathaba. Mathaba, a diamond sorter at the now famous Lucara Diamond Corp, credited with having found The Constellation, and Lesedi La Rona, in total seven of the last 10 world record breaking stones found at the Karowe mine got injured on his left thumb, six months after the record find. Since that day, The Business Weekly & Review investigations reveal, the diamond sorter’s life has become a nightmare with the diamond company failing to provide sufficient medical care for the worker, to a point where, he had to go cap-in-hand to his parents to seek funds for his medical fees.
Towards the end of year 2015, history was made. One of the world smallest diamond manufacturing companies was suddenly trending online. The company, Lucara Diamond Corp had discovered a rare precious stone. It was a 1, 111 carat type lla diamond, the size of a tennis ball. It was the second largest rare gem to ever be found in the history of diamond mining. Suddenly, the world attention shifted to Lucara Diamond Corp. Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President William Lamb became an instant celebrity, in Canada and the world over. The company, exhibited the human fist-sized diamond on the internet and social network.
It was a diamond that could easily fetch close to P1 billion in one sale. The diamond was discovered at its Botswana based mine, Karowe Diamond Mine, located in the North Central Botswana, about 25 kilometers south of Debswana’s Orapa Mine. The mine is basically in the bush, where one has to endure an abhorrent 18 Kilometers of gravel, that threatens to dismantle even the toughest of cars.
But the glitz and glamour of the diamond industry laced with mythologizing does not lend itself to the rule realities of employee-employer relations.
Exactly on the 19th November 2015, the young man, Tiroyaone Mathaba, went to work as usual, at the Karowe Mine. To him, it was just another day. A day to separate diamonds from waste, for the Canadian mining outfit, as usual. Little did he know that on that fateful day, he was going to discover a diamond that will make Lucara more money that it has ever seen. During the sorting process, a rush of adrenalin chilled his spine. It was something his eyes saw. He could not believe it. He never thought there was actually a diamond large as that. But it was! He alerted his superiors of this strange colorless stone. Suddenly there was a celebration, although the find was kept under wraps until an announcement was made at the company’s headquarters in Canada.
The Business Weekly & Review investigations established that out of the 10 record breaking rare gems that Lucara diamond Corp cashed from, seven of these were discovered by the same young man, Mathaba.
After the discovery life was good for all the employees of Karowe Mine who were given a bonus for the record finds.
But there was trouble on the horizon for Mathaba. Exactly six months after he discovered a diamond that will give Lucara almost P1 billion, his happiness and productivity was cut short. He sustained an injury on duty. On the 16th of June 2016, Karowe Diamond Mine’s ‘Star’ diamond sorter had his finger crushed by a diamond sorting machine at the mine, according to Investigations. To him, it was the beginning of a melancholic life. To Lucara he became a baggage that even qualified for disposal.
After he sustained the injury on that crucial day, he was rushed to a private doctor somewhere in Letlhakane, a doctor that is contracted to the mine. Investigations reveal that the doctor that attended the young diamond sorter established that the bones of the finger were almost broken. However, it appears Mathaba was told that his, was only a first aid case, which meant that a minor treatment was given to him and he was expected to be at work the following day.
Those close to Mathaba argue that the mining company sought to under-report the injury so as to keep its safety record to which investors place a premium. The doctor would only caution the young man that Lucara Diamond Corp does not want to register ‘Lost Time Injuries’ which would bring the company a bad reputation. A lost time injury is a situation whereby an employee sustains a major injury in which they become absent from work This measurement is crucial in rating a mining company’s Safety Health and Environment (SHE) standards. In its recent half year financial results Lucara advertises this aspect of their production, stating, “Safety performance was excellent with zero LTIs reported, and all other safety health environmental and corporate responsibility “SHECR” indices within target”.
The doctor, according to findings, would also not give Mathaba a medical report. Apparently the medical report had to be seen first by Karowe Diamond Mine management, before it reaches him. The Business Weekly & Review can reveal that the medical report only reached the patient after the attention of the Management.
The implications for such a innocuous finding by the doctor means the worker has to be back at the office the next day. In fear of losing his job Mathaba reported for work on the 17th of June as if nothing had happened to him, but the pain on his thumb was increasing and becoming excruciating by the day.
It is said that the diamond sorter continued pestering the management so as to be assisted with medical attention, before his figure rots, to no avail.
It was only after some time that the young man, now fearing for his health, pressured the management until he was sent to Orapa Mine Hospital where sources say the hospital demanded that he brings some documentation that details that he suffered an occupational injury.
Karowe Mine Management failed to give Mathaba the required documents so he could get treatment at the Orapa hospital.
It is this predicament that saw Mathaba, according to investigations seeking help at Bokamaso Private Hospital in Gaborone, after acquiring leave days, using funds from his parents.
It was at Bokamoso where the doctors took an x-ray of his thumb showing that the bones had been broken. He was admitted on the spot for treatment. It emerges that when Mathaba complained at work, management response saying that the diamond sorter may have injured himself further at home, off duty.
To this day sources say Mathaba is walking the painful journey in quest for treatment for the finger that first touched Lesedi La Rona. Two weeks ago after The Business Weekly & Review enquiries on this matter, it emerged that Lucara intends to handle some of Mathaba’s medical. But those close to Mathaba say it may be too little too late, the diamond sorter fears for his job. He has since developed heart problems that have kept him longer at the hospital.
Mathaba is an unhappy man. He feels that for all its billions in revenue that company has shown little regard to someone upon whom the whole diamond mining operation lies.
Back in Paris, Fawaz Gruosi says work on The Constellation will be a time consuming process, that will last until end of 2017. It is delicate care a man like Mathaba could do with.
