Speaker, I am responding to the issue raised by hon Schmidt about the Merange diamonds to assure him that South Africa subscribes fully to the Kimberley Process Certificate, KPC, and that the issue of Merange has been discussed in many forums. As a member of the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources he has a right to get accurate information about that process, rather than relying on the BBC and others only.
There is a chairperson of the Kimberley Process who has the power to investigate issues that are raised about Kimberley Process members, or where there are allegations of blood diamonds.
Here we must differentiate between members who are trying to resolve the issues of the Kimberley Process and the lobbies who are hellbent on - I am sorry for using such language; I withdraw that one - who are determined to punish Zimbabwe forever, regardless of the progress that is made in that country. If we make that distinction, we should be able to address this matter in a more sober way. Thank you. [Applause.]