We don’t need C-Sixty contract, only technology – Hamutenya

OGONE TLHAGEWINDHOEKNamib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) CEO Kennedy Hamutenya says the C-Sixty contract, which expires in September, does not benefit the diamond parastatal as much as it does the ministry of mines.Hamutenya made the comments when asked whether a new bidding process would be started for the technical valuation of Namdia’s diamonds by a new firm.The mines ministry announced that it would not renew the cleaning company-turned-diamond valuation firm’s contract.“Their contract with the ministry of mines ends in September and the minister indicated that they won’t renew. They are best placed to answer the query as they are the signatories and the service is provided for their benefit,” Hamutenya said.“We do not need all our diamonds going into that machine, which was designed to assist manufacturers to map out mostly large-sized diamonds to optimise the most ideal, profitable, manufactured, polished outcome from the rough,” he added.According to him, Namdia has the option to acquire some of those services from C-Sixty, which enjoys exclusivity to the technology as acquired through a licence. He, however, added it would be the company’s prerogative.PiggybackMines minister Tom Alweendo pointed out that it would be up to Namdia to decide on the way forward when approached about the C-Sixty contract, but added that a public bidding process would need to be put in action.“This is entirely up to Namdia to decide if they still need valuation services. If so, they will be required to source such services as per the provisions of the Public Procurement Act,” he said.In 2016, C-Sixty landed the contract after former mines minister Obeth Kandjoze and former attorney-general Sacky Shanghala exercised their powers to commit Namdia to C-Sixty Investments, a company co-owned by businessman and former Swapo central committee member John Walenga and Tironenn Kauluma, a nephew of former Cabinet minister Helmut Angula.Walenga did not respond to queries about the company’s future, in light of the impending end to its association with state-owned Namdia.Queries to Kauluma also went unanswered.C-Sixty piggybacked on Israeli company Sarine Technologies’ valuation technology to do work for Namdia to determine the price of diamonds.

We don’t need C-Sixty contract, only technology – Hamutenya

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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We don’t need C-Sixty contract, only technology – Hamutenya

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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