A ministerial delegation from the Association of African Diamond-Producing Countries says Zimbabwe should be allowed to sell diamonds from Marange for the nation’s benefit.

The delegation — led by South Africa’s Mineral ResourcesMinister Susan Shabangu, and comprising mines ministers fromAngola, the DRC, Sierra Leone, Namibia and Mauritania — is in Zimbabwe on a four-day fact-finding mission.

The team arrived in the country on Saturday.

Addressing villagers in Chiadzwa after touring operations by Canadile Miners and Mbada Holdings yesterday, Minister Shabangu said companies operating in Marange should be allowed to sell their diamonds."We are here to check. If it is not true (that there are human rights abuses) we can support the companies to be allowed to sell their diamonds.

"We are here to assist Zimbabwe to ensure that sanctions placed on diamonds can be removed if those allegations are not true," Minister Shabangu said.

The delegation pledged to support Zimbabwe at international diamond meetings.

"In November we will be going to Israel where the issue of Zimbabwediamonds will be raised. "We will go there and support that the sanctions should be removed.

"The people of Zimbabwe are suffering because of those sanctions. We are here as African brothers and sisters to work together to make Africa better," she said.

Minister Shabangu told villagers not to expect any immediate infrastructure developments in Chiadzwa as the diamonds mined from Marange "were sitting in Harare" because Zimbabwe was not being permitted to sell the gems like other countries.

The villagers were given an opportunity to brief the delegation on the true state of things in Chiadzwa.

They dismissed claims that soldiers were killing people in Marange, saying they were living peacefully.

The villagers said it was their wish that Canadile and Mbada be allowed to sell diamonds as this would bring development not only to Marange, but to the country as a whole.

They said while they were satisfied by the level of investment by the two companies so far but said Mbada and Canadile should give priority to locals when recruiting workers.

The villagers were, however, not happy with the pace and "unclear relocation plans" by Government and the investors.

There is a possibility that Zimbabwe could conduct its first auction of diamonds from Marange today.

Government intends to relocate them to Arda Transau Estate.The villagers said they were not opposed to the relocation as long as theinvestors built houses, schools and other social amenities.

Minister Shabangu said the delegation would meet Government today and highlight areas that needed attention.

There is a possibility that Zimbabwe could conduct its first auction of diamonds from Marange today.