De Beers’ new owner should be the one who can fix it

It has become generally known that at least three entities are bidding for Anglo American’s 85% stake in De Beers. These include former De Beers’ executive-led consortiums, as well as sovereigns, being Botswana and Angola. Namibia, which was initially reported to be in the hunting, has since officially stated that it is still considering its position.

Botswana and Angola, De Beers’ biggest producer and its most prospective ground respectively, met recently in Gaborone to iron out an apparent clash over their individual desires to both take up a majority stake in De Beers. Ministers exclusively told Mmegi recently that the two were “perfectly aligned.”