INFOMAN & GULL -- you both owe an apology to SUF! You accused the company, its executives, and continued to feed misinformation on this thread!
Read Dr. Jenning's response to your so-called facts!
I sincerely hope that those who read INFOMAN's and GULL's jibberish in previous threads can now decide for themselves as to who is taking "the high moral road" -- is it SUF, or the duo of "the Joker and the Penguin!"
BTW, INFOMAN/GULL -- you don't have to apologize to me... although now everyone will know who has spoken the TRUTH!
14 MAY 1998
Setting record straight
on wrangle
Dear Sir,
REGARDING Simon Barber's column on the
Marsfontein wrangle (Business Day, May 7), it had not
been SouthernEra's intention to post on the Internet
discussion group a detailed rebuttal of the numerous
incorrect allegations made there by "infoman".
I am surprised a newspaper of your calibre would print
something based on unsubstantiated claims made on an
Internet chat group without fully checking the facts from both sides. Certain statements reported in Business Day need clarification.
No pressure was put on the minerals and energy minister to grant the rights to Randgold. At the time of the application for rights, initially to prospect and subsequently to mine, under section 17 of the Minerals Act, there were no living, registered mineral rights holders, nor had anyone who might have inherited the rights done anything to take transfer of or to deal with these rights for almost 30 years.
Under these circumstances the minister undoubtedly had
a discretion to grant Randgold and its joint-venture
partner SouthernEra rights to prospect and mine under
section 17.
At the same time a sum of money, exceeding the going
rate for mineral rights options purchases in the area, was lodged with the state to compensate any legitimate
mineral rights holder who might emerge.
SouthernEra, on behalf of the joint venture with
Randgold, had expended (following the issuing of legal
prospecting permits for the farm) C$6m and not
C$180m on Marsfontein as stated in Business Day.
Finally, SouthernEra has not acted and will never act
outside the law. We worked together as the operator
under a valid legal agreement with Randgold and under
prospecting permits legally granted to Randgold by the
minister.
To allege that diamonds were removed illegally from the farm is ludicrous. No mining ever took place on he property. Samples of drill core were removed from the property for testing and analysis. This is legal under the permit. Furthermore, all diamonds recovered have been properly recorded and are lodged in safekeeping at a commercial bank in SA.
CMH Jennings Chairman, SouthernEra Resources
Limited |
