The dreams of many people digging for “diamonds” in KwaHlathi, near Ladysmith, have been dashed as the stones are in fact quartz crystals, but die-hard diggers are refusing to give up their search for riches. The stones where found about two weeks ago by a local herder and sparked off a digging frenzy in the area. People from as far as Johannesburg and Cape Town arrived there to search for the so-called diamonds.
KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Ravi Pillay, revealed at a meeting held at the Ladysmith Town Hall on Sunday afternoon, 20 June, that their preliminary investigations found that the stones were quartz crystals. He said the report showed that the site of the informal mining is geographically located on the edge of a Karoo dolerite sill which is not in a zone where diamond occurrences are present. “After visiting the area and conducting tests, it has been confirmed that the stones are not diamonds, but are quartz crystals that are common across the Karoo Supergroup with extensional fracture planes within and along the contact of the Karoo dolerite sill.” KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Sihle Zikalala, also urged those involved in the informal mining to leave the site immediately. However, not everyone was ready to accept the word of government leaders. “Why are we not allowed to have God’s blessings?” asked one informal miner. Another said: “Do you really think that I’m going to believe our leaders? They are telling us lies to get us off the land because they want the diamonds.” The Ladysmith Herald visited the KwaHlathi site on Thursday and prior to that, while awaiting the government’s test results on the sones.
Huge, deep holes could be seen along the rocky hill, but the frenzied digging and search for the diamonds appeared to have abated. However, some people were still digging in the holes left by previous diggers. Stadford Rwafa, who had travelled from Johannesburg said that police should not be allowed to just chase them away. “I need to get the money back that I spent getting here, so they will have to give us a few days before we can just leave,” said Rwafa. Rwafa said he has been on the site for almost four days and has a collection of quartz crystals. “I heard that one of the illegal miners had managed to collect enough quartz crystals to buy himself a second vehicle and feed his family,” said Rwafa. He said the crystals were valuable and he was prepared to dig for more. It was also rumoured that another site has been identified, about 5km from the KwaHlathi Hill. “I have heard that people are just picking up the crystals from the ground. Why does the government just not let us enjoy the blessings from God?”
Rwafa says that he does not believe what is contained in the government report and still feels that some of the crystals are diamonds. The quartz crystals have also made it onto various social media classified sites, with the stones being sold for R20. Rwafa added that he is sleeping in his vehicle at the site. Food hawkers at the hill of KwaHlathi believe that they are the only ones that have struck it lucky as they are making money out of selling meals. One winner is food seller Ndlovu, who made “some serious cash” by selling chips and bread to those mining along the hill. Ndlovu believes that she gained the most as she had made enough money during the feverish digging. “I have spent a week here and I’m done. My stock is also finished and I’m ready to return to my bed. I slept here the whole week in the cold and can’t wait to sleep in my own bed.” Bridget Magasela, who had sold hotdogs and tea, had been busy despite only being at the site for two days. Airtime to beer was being sold by hawkers, but among them were a group of youngsters who were trying to sell the “diamonds”. A few informal miners who were still on the site said it seemed as if everything had already been taken from the ground, by the previous diggers. “We tried our luck here today, but most of the stones that are found are extremely small and hardly look like anything,” said one digger.
He said he was hungry and tired, but would continue digging. It is also said that some of the informal miners left the site out of fear as police presence had increased since last Tuesday. Sister and brother, Abongile Nfazi, 13, and Sibongakonke Miya, 12, from Uitval, were among the informal miners, proudly showing off what they had found. Pillay said the activity seen at KwaHlathi in the past week has highlighted the socio-economic challenges confronting people in the area. “We reiterate that the mining activity taking place at KwaHlathi is illegal. We urge the community to cooperate with the police and local leadership. We appeal to the people on-site to vacate the area as what they are involved in has the potential of spreading Covid-19. The illegal mining practices also have a negative impact on the environment and land degradation that has been accentuated by the extensive diggings in the area,” said Pillay.
