Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a major topic in developing countries. While traditionally seen as only a private sector activity, CSR is very much influenced by politics and regulation in Africa. The mineral mining industry provides a clear example because of the negative social and environmental externalities associated with operations. This presentation will look at field work conducted in South Africa and Botswana in 2014, which investigated the relationship between CSR and the State in the diamond mining industry. A formal framework for understanding this relationship will then be discussed.