The Diamond Polishers and Uncomfortable Realities

Minister Mokaila explained (Mmegi 24.11.15) that he had appointed a Task Force to recommend ways and means by which our polishers could better compete with their counter parts in China and India where costs are lower and productivity higher.

It must, from the onset, have appeared like a very tough ask. Note for instance that our polishers work for an average of 212 days a year. Polishers in both China and India work a six-day week. If they did so for all the 52 weeks of the year they would be putting in a 312 working day year.