Johannesburg: The De Beers Group announced on Monday, 12 December, that it would be relocating its Sightholder Sales activities in South Africa from Kimberley to Johannesburg following a review of its sorting activities in South Africa.
The relocation also supports the government’s strategy to consolidate the country’s mineral beneficiation sector into one area at the Gauteng Industrial Development Zone, close to the OR Tambo International Airport.
Taking into consideration its evolving footprint in the country over the past decade, with the world class Venetia mine in Limpopo being its only active mine and no mining activities in the Northern Cape since 2015, De Beers is consolidating its remaining operations to be in close proximity to provide efficiency in operating costs, greater effectiveness and to contribute towards the country’s national beneficiation agenda.
De Beers will relocate around 120 employees from its Sightholder Sales business from Kimberley to a new facility in Sky Park Industrial in Johannesburg, effective January 2023.
De Beers continues to engage with government relevant stakeholders on the future of its remaining assets in Kimberley, to ensure that these are transferred and utilised for the benefit of the city and the Northern Cape.
“We also engaged with our suppliers, business partners, corporate social investment (CSI) beneficiary organisations, and provincial and local government. We are grateful to our union, the National Union of Mineworkers, which has been involved in and supportive of the process. Our goal has been to ensure that our relocation and engagement process is conducted in a transparent and responsible manner, aligned to our company values of ‘Show We Care’ and ‘Pull Together’.”
In a press release, it is stated that De Beers continues to offer its employees support during this transition by offering three months’ interim accommodation in Johannesburg, as well as facilitating school placements for employees’ children with the Gauteng Department of Basic Education.
Over its long history in the city, De Beers has contributed towards supporting the development of communities in and around Kimberley.
