Botswana diamond mine to retrench 450 workers

At least 450 miners will be retrenched next week at Karowe Diamond miner following a decision by owners Lucara Diamonds to prematurely terminate a mining services contract with South African company Eqstra. The dispute between Lucara Diamond and Eqstra, which has been simmering for months, is likely to evolve into a legal challenge after a warning by the South African company which said it would press for a repayment of damages arising from the termination of its open-cast diamond mining contract, which was due to expire in 2020.