MEDIA RELEASE

NAMDEB RECEIVES AFRICAN WORLD HERITAGE EXCELLENCE AWARD

Friday, 7 May 2015 , :

Namdeb has been awarded the African World Heritage Fund for excellence, in recognition of the company’s commitment, and exemplary contribution, to the conservation and management of the Oranjemund Shipwreck discovery in 2008.

This award is presented to companies that have contributed significantly to the protection of natural and cultural heritage on the African continent.

Namdeb CEO, Ms Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi, received the award at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Patron of the African World Heritage Fund, Mr Phuthuma Nhleko, and the Chairperson of the African Union, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, in Midrand, on the 6 May 2015.

The shipwreck is believed to be the remains of a Portuguese trading ship that was sailing to India when it sank off the Namibian coast. According to the October 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine, Portuguese maritime archaeologists concluded that the wreck is probably that of the Bom Jesus – the ‘Good Jesus’ – which was part of a fleet of trading ships sent from Portugal to India in 1533. The Bom Jesus according to the article, was owned by Portugal’s King João III.

The shipwreck was discovered in Namdeb’s Mining Area 1 (MA1), some 18 km north of Oranjemund, by Kapaandu Shatika, a dozer operator at Namdeb. On the morning of 1st April 2008, in the course of his mining excavation work, Shatika unintentionally exposed the shipwreck material in the form of wood, copper ingots and two cannons.

Some 5438 artefacts of immense cultural, scientific and intrinsic value were subsequently recovered. These include 2159 gold coins, 1845 copper ingots, 109 silver coins, 67 elephant tusks, 14 cannonballs, eight bronze cannons, five anchors, three astrolabes, three navigational dividers and part of the ship’s compass, as well as pewter tableware, copper cooking utensils, swords, muskets and chain mail.

The copper weighed about 20 tons, together with about three and a half tons of tin. Several wrought iron cannons, swords, muskets and a box of sword blades – all of which were locked in concretions - were left in situ (as is), as were the wooden structural remains of the ship that had been exposed.

Namdeb donated one of its engineering workshops in Oranjemund to serve as the holding place for the artefacts, where they are being preserved under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports.

Commenting on the award Ms Zaamwani-Kamwi said,”We are delighted to be the recipient of such a prestigious award. Whilst this award is in recognition for the outstanding job we did in managing the shipwreck find and its preservation, we pride ourselves for our overall track- record on environmental management and conversation programmes.”

*The African World Heritage Fund is a Category II Centre under the auspices of UNESCO

-ENDS-

ISSUED BY NAMDEB CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Pauline Thomas Brand Manager 10 Dr Frans Indongo Street Namdeb Centre, 10th Floor Telephone: +264 61 2043327 Facsimile: +264 61 204 3367 E-mail: [email protected]

For more information on Namdeb visit: www.namdeb.com

NAMDEB DIAMOND CORPORATION (PTY) LTD Namdeb is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namdeb (Proprietary Limited Holdings which is owned in equal shares (50:50) by the Government of the Republic of Namibia and . Namdeb performs land-based prospecting (exploration), mining and rehabilitation operation and services for Namdeb Holdings. Namdeb has eight mining licences which cover 15 789 square kilometres. The heart of the operations is along the southwest coast of Namibia with the main land-based operations in Oranjemund and satellite mines near Lüderitz and along the . Several types of innovative mining techniques are employed to extract diamonds from alluvial deposits of ore bodies. Namdeb is proud to be a significant contributor to the Namibian economy. In line with Namdeb’s efforts to mine to 2050 and beyond, avenues will continue to be explored to create a more sustainable impact in support of Namibia’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDP4) which paves the way towards achieving the Vision 20130 goals. Namdeb remains committed to being the pride of Namibia’s Mining.