In great spirits the ‘Greater Rustenburger Community Foundation’ (GRCF) opened the exhibition ‘Diamond Matters’ in the Rustenburger Waterfall mall, on the 26th of October 2005.

Guests from local governments, representatives of extractive industries and other businessmen were present at the opening.

In her opening speech, Christine Delport, president of the GRCF, pointed out the relation between extracting resources and the fuelling of conflicts, violence and injustice.

“Everyday these [platinum and chrome] resources are being extracted from underneath the earth and yet the majority of our community falls victim to socio-economic inequalities, poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS and social and environmental injustice.” Said Delport about the consequences of the unequal partition of wealth in her own community.

The opening of the exposition ‘Diamond Matters’ also started a larger campaign, a joint effort of the Peace, Principles and Participation program of the Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa and GRCF, that focuses on better, and constant, monitoring of the conduct and the process of decision making of governments, international institutes and industries. This is mainly concentrated on South-African, Asian and European corporations.

With this monitoring the GRCF is able to hold companies and governments responsible for their actions and the impact they have on society. This opens up possibilities for co-operating on a better future for -and progress in- the community.

From the 25th to the 31st of October Kadir van Lohuizen’s pictures were exhibited in Waterfall Mall. Some 10.00 visitors came to see them. Besides the exhibition in the mall the pictures were also shown at the annual dinner of the ‘Rustenburger Association of Bussiness’.

The GRCF is one of the partners of the NiZA Peace, Principles and Participation program.
See the misty hills declaration