Northern Cape closes as diamond crisis hits the miner

The Northern Cape, the heart of South Africa’s diamond mining industry, is now a thing of the past as miners battle difficult market conditions. In March, Ekapa Minerals Mine applied for provisional liquidation, a move that left over 1,000 workers jobless. 

The latest casualties are employees of Finsch Mine near Lime Acres who were not paid their June salaries and are now facing job cuts. Earlier in the week, diamond giant De Beers, whose footprint is in the Northern Cape, announced plans to retrench workers at Venetia mine in Limpopo. Growing pressure is on the global natural diamond market, raising questions about the future of diamond mining.

For more than a century, diamond mines have driven the Northern Cape’s economy. The recent closure of Ekapa Minerals Mine and the current uncertainty at Finsch Mine in Lime Acres highlight the growing challenges facing a fast-dwindling industry. While the impact on mine employees has received much attention, contractors like Finsch Mine canteen operator, Marlene Van Schalkwyk, who relied on the mine for their livelihoods, fear what lies ahead.

With the diamond mining industry in the Northern Cape dwindling fast, government, mining companies, and local municipalities now face increasing pressure to develop sustainable economic opportunities that can outlast the province’s diamond industry.