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08 August 2019 | Story Leonie Bolleurs
Zama Zama
Michelle Goliath played a major role in establishing the first ethically sourced, fair, women-owned, artisanal diamond process.

Michelle Goliath, a PhD student in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the UFS, has a passion for helping the most vulnerable people in society who have run out of conventional employment options. 

“My research includes ‘Zamaism’ psychology, a philosophy which looks at the contestation of space and rules, how people navigate the illegal when they are faced with desperate choices,” she explains.  

Michelle has been working with approximately 3 000 diamond mining ‘Zama Zamas’ (criminal miners) over the past three years. Together, they negotiated an agreement with private sector mining and public sector stakeholders to include the Zama Zamas as legal artisan miners in the formal mining economy.

One of the highlights of her career so far was being part of a big first: the complete, ethically sourced, fair, women-owned, artisanal diamond process.

Michelle explains: “A rough stone includes the story of the women who dig it from the earth, legally (under permit), ethically sourced. Instead of being exploited, the same women now sell their diamonds for full value to a legal tender house through a legal buyer or directly to the cutter and polisher. The cutter and polisher also train the women to cut and polish the stones themselves. The women then sell the stones to jewellery gold- and silver-‘smiths’ who artisanally craft this into an engagement ring or ‘Wakanda gem spear’, to be sold in the open market locally and internationally.”

She believes these products will become priceless works of art. “Like Picasso paintings, they are each uniquely produced by hand with a story and Kimberley process certificates,” she adds.

The story of the women

This project had a big impact on Elisa Louw, a former street seller and domestic worker. She tells her story: “I was tired of domestic work and decided to work at the mines as a Zama Zama. I began with nothing and had to borrow tools and learn from others.”

Elisa started working in the mines in 2013; in 2014, she found her first 75-pointer diamond which she sold for R1 500 on the black market. “The black market was good then,” she said.

She later recruited other Zama Zamas to register and obtain legal permits for mining. Elisa mined from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 16:00 she recruited people to start a legal mining co-op. “It was difficult then. People did not understand what it meant to be legalised,” Elisa explains.

But she worked hard and at the end of 2016, the Batho Pele Primary Mining Cooperative was established.

However, it was a hard and difficult journey before they were given their permits early in 2017. The mines took their IDs and issued them with eviction letters. “They called us names – terrorists, robbers, rapists, etc. But in a meeting with the South African Police Service, the Department of Mineral Resources, the Sol Plaatje Municipality, and the international Swedish Housing Company, Michelle spoke for us.”

“She represented the Swedish Housing Company and we thank the Lord for sending her to us. She informed all parties that we did not want to fight, but that we were looking for a licence to work. She helped us to obtain our legal permit to mine.”

“It was such a relief when we received the permit. I could go home and sleep without worrying about the safety of the old people and children who are mining.

“The permit changed my life as a woman. My voice is heard; my words count. I am proud of myself,” says Elisa. 

The two cooperatives they created, Batho Pele Primary Mining Cooperative and the Women in Artisanal Scale Mining, have already signed agreements with Canada and the USA for the export of fair-trade-certified gem products.

Blood, sweat and tears

The journey towards this big achievement took two years of literally blood, sweat, and tears. “Society labels Zama Zamas negatively as terrorists. In a way, you become a Zama at heart once you live with people every day who are fighting for economic inclusion. You fight the illegal diamond trade that exploited people as digging slaves. You fight formal mining, which is a difficult sector to enter as a woman. You literally fight others with stones for territory. You fight political fights, land fights, the system at every level, to seek an existence,” Michelle explains.

She believes the mining industry can be a tough environment. “It is exploitative at many levels. It showcases rare talent, but under duress. At artisanal scale it is even worse. The only future women have, is to lead themselves, to create their own fairer system, to redesign a full value chain that allows broader participation,” states Michelle.

News Archive

UFS intensifies its advocacy on humanity and solidarity to Japan
2011-03-08

Staff and students from our university, marching for humanity
Photo: Stephen Collett

Staff and students from the University of the Free State (UFS) representing various associations and student bodies, together with Kovsie supporters, braved the cold and wet weather yesterday (17 March) as they embarked on a march for humanity. This occurred just two days after an urgent meeting had been called by the Dean of Student Affairs, Mr Rudi Buys to create a platform for students to deliberate on mechanisms to be used in supporting Japan, which is facing immense challenges, thereby responding to their unfortunate current situation. It is also a day after the direct conversation between the UFS and the South African ambassador to Japan, Mr Gert Grobler, a Kovsie alumnus.

The visibly spirited group started their march from the Main Building on the UFS Main Campus in Bloemfontein. Within minutes the Callie Human Centre – assembly point for the participants – was occupied by students and staff members who arrived in their numbers, carrying banners with messages of support for Japan.

Modieyi Motholo, ISC Chairperson, read a memorandum in the presence of more than 300 students. “We, the community of the University of the Free State, as sons and daughters of South Africa and the world, by our very action in this march today, celebrate our shared humanity, declare our solidarity with the people of Japan, and join the movement to build a culture of Human Rights. We declare our commitment to the cause of human dignity and equality, and the promotion of human rights, non-racialism and non-sexism,” read the memorandum. 

“Japan is far; we shall never be able to take the entire Kovsie community there to assist the Japanese in rebuilding their homes. However, we can show our solidarity and raise an awareness for their unfortunate circumstances by our numbers,” Modieyi said.

Mr Buys admitted to being overwhelmed by the united Kovsie community he witnessed standing up for a cause they believed in. On receiving the memorandum on behalf of the UFS management, he stated: “There is a different and new set of values in our student community. We have the best students in the world, driven by a pioneering spirit aimed at building a new society. We have come so far in a short period of time. You deserve recognition as a student population.”

The march was also organised to declare the UFS’s support and solidarity for the people of Japan. The solidarity campaign has further been intensified with the establishment of committees comprising fundraising, research, marketing and awareness, spirituality and volunteers. Nida Jooste, the ISC Vice-Chairperson, said that the research committee was busy conducting a comprehensive study on how the UFS can be of assistance to the Japan. “With the report we will be able to design and implement programmes that will be aligned with the needs of the people of Japan. “In the meantime, we will carry out small projects that will keep the flame of solidarity burning on our campus,” she concluded.

Noticeable amongst the attendees were Mr John Samuels, the current Director of the International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice.

 

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