The South African Consulate in Toronto, in the personage of Mr. Patrick Evans, has been telling Canadians several things:
1) SUF has followed all instructions, legal avenues, etc with regards to Marsfontein. The Minister is in complete support of SUF, but would like to see a negotiated settlement.
2) De Beers, thru Monopros in Canada, and their regular operations, has no interest in mining diamonds in a quick way that would benefit the discovering company/partner. As the BD article says, the better benefit may be to leave the diamonds in the ground. And further, if a junior partner should have a great find, the more likely that De Beers would defer development for a long while in order that supply not be increased.
3) The guy who writes for Business Day, Simon Barber, has a penchant for glamourous stories that he hopes will lead to confrontation and further press; whether the facts are right or wrong, the reaction is the desired effect
4) Negotiations will proceed with SUF and De Beers and NGS and Randgold, until a settlement is intractable; then a mediator will be appointed (perhaps Dr. Maduna himself), followed by a quick resolution or expropriation.
And now for my thoughts:
Congratulations to Mr. Andrew Cumine (Infoman) and Mr. Jacobus Jordaan (Gull) for identifying themselves to all readers of this thread as the vested interests that they represent.
I CHALLENGE either gentleman to disprove their identity.
I eagerly await the reply.
Confluence
PS. Why are negotiations scheduled for Saturday, the 6th day in a row, when De Beers and NGS have claimed victory? Government pressure? Come on Mr. Cumine, why are you still talking? |
