The suspension of the 102 employment contracts took place last month, reported Samuel Republicano, chairman of the company's Board of Directors.
"The company is currently unable to honour its main commitments, especially workers' salaries, which forced us to suspend 102 employment contracts last month," he said, in statements, quoted by Angop, on the sidelines of the workshop on the half-yearly balance of diamond production, to be held in Dundo.
As for the salaries of the 350 employees who still have active contracts, he said that they are being paid through the financial support of the main shareholder, Endiama.
The chairman also said that the mine is facing a critical situation, resulting from several internal and external factors, linked to the current situation of the diamond market.
He also reported that the mine's production, in the first six months of the year, was below forecasts. According to the official, in the first half of the year, estimates indicated a production of around 5000 carats of diamonds per month, however, due to various problems, the mine only reached three carats.
The total number also fell short of forecasts, with the mine producing a total of 18,000 carats of diamonds.
In order to counter this scenario and prevent more work contracts from being suspended, the mine has been working to reduce operating costs, as well as increasing investments in geological studies and equipment, with the aim of boosting diamond production, writes Angop.
