Large Diamonds Found at Barkly West – 1946

The Diamond Fields Advertiser of 11 August 1946 reported an extraordinary week on the diggings around Barkly West, with each of the district's four main digging centres producing a sizeable diamond. The most remarkable find came from the Sover fissures, where digger A. J. Esterhuizen discovered a diamond weighing 105 carats. Esterhuizen, who had earlier discovered the adjoining Doornkloof fissures, was working the diggings with his two sons and son-in-law.

According to the newspaper, the stone was discovered when a bucket of diamond-bearing ground was tipped into the bebe and the diamond rolled from the top of the load. It was described as a fine, plump stone of typical octahedral shape, with only a faint trace of colour. At the weekly Barkly West diamond market the following Saturday, the 105-carat stone was sold to K. N. de Kock for £12,000 — a very substantial sum at the time.

It was not the only significant diamond offered for sale that day. Other stones included a 52.25-carat diamond from the Orange River diggings, a 35.5-carat stone from Molopo near Mafeking, and a fine eight-carat diamond from the Windsorton district.

Did You Know?

Barkly West lies approximately 35 kilometres northwest of Kimberley and was one of the earliest important diamond-digging centres in the region. Diamonds discovered along the Vaal River helped trigger the rush that eventually shifted towards Colesberg Kopje — the site that became Kimberley's famous Big Hole.

Yasser Arafat Arrives in South Africa – 1998

On 11 August 1998, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian National Authority and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, arrived in Cape Town for his first state visit to South Africa. The three-day visit, from 11 to 13 August, took place at the invitation of President Nelson Mandela and reflected the longstanding relationship between the African National Congress and the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

South Africa had formally recognised the State of Palestine on 15 February 1995. During the visit, Mandela awarded Arafat South Africa's Order of Merit, Excellence Class, an honour intended for foreign citizens. Arafat, in turn, presented Mandela with the Star of Holy Jerusalem. The visit was not without controversy and drew criticism from sections of South Africa's Jewish community. Yasser Arafat died on 11 November 2004.

Did You Know?

Nelson Mandela repeatedly spoke of the close historical links between the African National Congress and the Palestinian liberation movement. Arafat's 1998 state visit came only four years after South Africa's first democratic elections and reflected the country's rapidly changing international relationships following the end of apartheid.

Kimberley's Story Continues

From a 105-carat diamond discovered on the diggings near Barkly West to South Africa's new international relationships in the democratic era, 11 August provides another glimpse into the very different stories that have shaped Kimberley, the Northern Cape and South Africa.