The head of diamond company De Beers' South African operations has stepped down, Mining Weekly reported.

De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM) MD David Noko will leave the company at the end of March, after four years as MD. De Beers said that Barend Petersen would act as CEO from April, while the process to appoint a permanent CEO was finalized, the report said.

Chartered accountant Petersen is a non executive director of Anglo American South Africa, which has a shareholding in black economic-empowerment (BEE) company Ponahalo Investment Holdings, has a joint 50% stake in Ponahalo, DBCM's 26% BEE partner.

Petersen, a chartered accountant, is non executive director of De Beers Societe Anonyme, the De Beers group holding company, said the report.

Noko said in a media release that the time was right for him to step aside so that a new leader could take DBCM to "the next phase of its transformational journey".

DBCM chairperson Nicky Oppenheimer noted that Noko had led DBCM through a period of challenge and DBCM deputy chairperson Manne Dipico drew attention to Noko's success, not only as MD, but also as Kimberley Mines GM.

De Beers group MD Gareth Penny referred to Noko's role in readying the company for a post-recession future.