schachter botswana

Schachter Botswana

Schachter Botswana (Proprietary) Limited, is a diamond cutting and polishing company located in Molepolole, a large village near the capital city of Gaberone, which is now the center of De Beers’ diamond sales business.

Access to the source of rough diamonds has created a local manufacturing industry in Botswana and Schachter is one of its leaders. In fact, our factory in Molepolole, bought by the Leo Schachter Group in 1997, is one of the largest active diamond polishing operations in southern Africa, employing 250 local men and women specially trained to polish fine and commercial goods. It is managed by local Botswanan, Christopher Mamalelala.

Schachter Botswana is also the home of a specialized production unit dedicated to large sizes and special diamonds of up to 50 carats.

As a child, I marveled at the low-flying planes soaring above my village in eastern Botswana. The pilots, I was told, were diamond explorers, piquing the curiosity of my 7-year-old imagination. It wasn’t until my third year at Botswana University, where I studied physics on a government scholarship given to high academic achievers, that I understood that those planes were part of a vast diamond industry that had shaped our country for the better.

Christopher Mamalelala

General Manager