×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Poor Abel wondering where his share of R18m diamond is

STILL WAITING: Abel Makanata believed he had found a 400-carat diamond worth R18 million and would receive a reward of R100 000 from Cullinan diamond mine. © Sowetan.
STILL WAITING: Abel Makanata believed he had found a 400-carat diamond worth R18 million and would receive a reward of R100 000 from Cullinan diamond mine. © Sowetan.

Gershwin Chuenyane

Gershwin Chuenyane

A Pretoria man has found out the hard way that diamonds might be forever, but they are definitely not a man's best friend.

Abel Makanata still struggles to make a living despite being led to believe he discovered a diamond worth R18million at Cullinan diamond mine last year.

Makanata, an on-site tyre-fitter for TrenTyre, was doing a routine tyre change on a mine vehicle when he "discovered a golf-ball-sized rock that turned out to be a 400-carat diamond".

He was photographed, interviewed and featured in an article on the front page of his company's in-house publication . The article mentioned a reward of R100000.

Here is an extract from the publication:

"A routine tyre change on a mine vehicle turned into a major discovery for a TrenTyre associate who, through his honest actions, lived Goodyear Holdings' values and illustrated the meaning of 'Protect Our Good Name'."

"A vehicle came out of the draw point - which is where they draw material from the mine to sort it - with a flat tyre on the left front side," said Jeandre Bezuidenhout, business manager at TrenTyre's Watloo branch.

"When the guys inspected it, they hosed out all the debris and with it came this rock. While his colleagues didn't think much of it, Abel called in the experts," said Bezuidenhout.

But Tom Tweedy, a De Beers spokesman, said: "Cullinan diamond mine management are investigating the facts surrounding the find.

"We are trying to establish on what basis TrenTyre published the story. The details in the article are believed to be inaccurate and were not verified with the mine."

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.