By Neo Kolane
Letśeng Diamonds started a study this week aimed at gathering valuable information, which will inform the company’s new five-year Corporate Social Responsibility and Investment (CSRI) Strategy.
The mine study is happening in the districts of Mokhotlong and Thaba Tseka.
Letšeng Diamonds’ communications officer, Lebohang Chefa, says they require accurate and up-to-date information about the needs of the communities before embarking on the new CSRI Strategy.
Chefa added that the study will help them frame into context the community challenges that require their intervention in the two districts. It is also an opportunity to cultivate relationships with the people and groups who have a stake in Letšeng’s CSRI work.
He further stated that the challenges, opportunities and interventions that were identified five to 10 years ago may no longer be relevant due to the social, cultural and economic changes in the communities where the mine is implementing its CSRI projects.
“The study will help Letšeng to align the resources allocated for corporate social investment to the needs of the communities, providing insights and justification for choosing to support certain projects over others.
“We consider it a moral obligation and part of our business strategy to contribute to the sustainable socio-economic upliftment of the communities around the mine and the rest of the country,” Chefa emphasized.
Letšeng’s main CSRI focus areas include investment in education through provision of scholarships, supporting and mentoring sustainable Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), supporting primary health care, development of infrastructure projects and supporting community environment projects.
Donations and sponsorships, which formed a sizeable chuck of Letšeng’s CSRI budget in the past, now only take a small fraction. As the company’s CSI Policy states, the efforts are now geared towards sustainable and economically viable interventions that are initiated and driven by the communities.
“In the past, Letšeng supported wool and mohair production in Mokhotlong through construction of four woolsheds, a ram-breeding station and training of over 1,000 farmers. Further support was given in vegetable production at Butha Buthe, where six greenhouses were built and sharecropping done with farmers on 32 hectares of land in the Hololo River valley.
“Under primary health care, Letšeng built three health posts in Mokhotlong, procured medical and laundry equipment for Mokhotlong Government Hospital and Seboche RC Mission Hospital in Butha Buthe. It further supported the training of 260 village health workers in Mokhotlong and donated to them 350 all-purpose first aid kits after the training.
“Support to Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) included the construction of a dairy farm for the Liphamola Dairy Farmers Association in Mokhotlong. The milk produced from this farm is sold at the local shops in Mokhotlong and to Letšeng Diamond Mine and other neighbouring mines.”
Letšeng’s infrastructure support include construction of footbridge bridges over Khubelu River in Mokhotlong, eight classrooms at Tšepong and Pae-la-Itlhatsoa Primary Schools in Mokhotlong, accommodation units and charge office at Letšeng-la-Terae Police Post and the chief’s office at the Pae-la-Itlhatsoa area. Other infrastructure projects include ablution facilities at Mojakisane and Molumong Primary Schools and renovations of the ones at St Peter’s RCM and Mokhotlong LEC Primary Schools.
Letšeng Diamonds operates the Letšeng Diamond Mine, which is located at Letšeng–la-Terae in Mokhotlong. The Mine is renowned for its large top-quality diamonds, which include the 910-carat Lesotho Legend, the 603-carat Lesotho Promise, the 601-carat Lesotho Brown, the 550-carat Letšeng Star, the 493-carat Letšeng Legacy and the 478-carat Leseli la Letšeng. Gem Diamonds Limited owns 70 percent shares in the mine while the Government of Lesotho owns the remaining 30 percent.
