PARITY IN THOSE SILOUETTE ADS MIGHT BE IN ORDER TOO

DeBeers may be selling large amounts of shares to black investors in the very near future. Hmm, surely a step in the right direction, definitely in the symbolism department.

"De Beers has been approached by parties interested in partnering with the company," Mr. Roodt said. "But until we know what the bottom line is, we aren't in a position to take fully informed decisions."

South Africa has told mining companies to sell 26 percent of their assets to black investors within 10 years to help make up for apartheid era inequality. The demand has prompted companies including Anglogold and Lonmin to sell stakes in their mines. South Africa is also preparing a plan to charge royalties on minerals production.

De Beers, which is owned by Anglo American, the Oppenheimer family and the government of Botswana, may sell a share in its mines to a group of investors including Tokyo Sexwale, Cyril Ramaphosa, Saki Macozoma, Moss Ngoasheng and Bongani Khumalo, a press report said. Those named are all current or former members of the governing African National Congress.

(may I say, it's refreshing not to be blogging about Iraq!)

Hmm 26 percent of their assets to black investors . . . correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that still approximately the reverse of racial proportions in South Africa? Nevertheless, progress is indeed progress...