SA 'diamond diggers' ululate as officials arrive

Ululating crowds have greeted government officials who have just arrived in a rural village in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, where suspected diamonds have been found.

A man herding cattle discovered crystal-like stones more than a week ago – prompting hundreds of people to descend on the village of KwaHlathi armed with pickaxes and shovels

People are hoping to get confirmation that the stones are diamonds.

"We all understand the excitement and we all hope what you found here will be a good thing for the community," Ravi Pillay, a member of the provincial government, told the crowd.

A team of geological and mining experts are to assess the stones and report back to the community in 30 days.

"We appeal to you to allow the team of experts to do their work," Mr Pillay said.

The discovery has exposed deep frustrations from communities desperate to find a way out of poverty.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: Nomsa Maseko Twitter