The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called upon De Beers to suspend the sale of its Kimberley Mines in South Africa. It says that the mining giant should open discussions with the Union on finding a more acceptable solution to the problems confronting the operation of the mines, as per reports appearing in the African media.

As part of this campaign, NUM will be holding a Protest March to the Kimberley Mines on January 14, the reports added.

It may be recalled that last month, De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM) had announced the sale of the Kimberley Mines to a consortium formed by Ekapa Mining and Petra Diamonds.

The NUM avers that it was not consulted in the sales process.