Today in Kimberley's History
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De Beers donates Harry Oppenheimer House to the Sol Plaatje University - 2023
De Beers donated the Harry Oppenheimer House (HOH) in Kimberley to the Sol Plaatje University (SPU) during an event at the 14-storey building on Friday, 24 November 2023.
Harry Oppenheimer House, De Beers Consolidated Mines’ diamond sorting house for their South African diamonds, was opened on 25 November 1974 by Dr WP de Kock in the presence of Harry Oppenheimer and his family.
The architects Hentrich and Partner of Johannesburg, together with Hentrich-Petschnigg and Partner KG of Dusseldorf were commissioned by the company to design a building to sort diamonds that was “…of great simplicity, design and elegance.” Diamond sorting for valuation demands certain criteria; particularly the glare from natural light, so the building was situated in such a position that ensures no direct sunlight penetrates. The glass on the windows reduces all possible glare but does not affect the colouration of the diamond, and is at such an angle in order to eliminate both interior and exterior reflections. The glass façade represents the open sorting operation; while the closed concreted elevation represents the security consciousness of the organisation. When it was opened the Diamond Information Officer, Dudley Holmes, said that “…the view is particularly distracting.”
De Beers donated the Harry Oppenheimer House (HOH) in Kimberley to the Sol Plaatje University (SPU) during an event at the 14-storey building on Friday, 24 November 2023.
Harry Oppenheimer House, De Beers Consolidated Mines’ diamond sorting house for their South African diamonds, was opened on 25 November 1974 by Dr WP de Kock in the presence of Harry Oppenheimer and his family.
The architects Hentrich and Partner of Johannesburg, together with Hentrich-Petschnigg and Partner KG of Dusseldorf were commissioned by the company to design a building to sort diamonds that was “…of great simplicity, design and elegance.” Diamond sorting for valuation demands certain criteria; particularly the glare from natural light, so the building was situated in such a position that ensures no direct sunlight penetrates. The glass on the windows reduces all possible glare but does not affect the colouration of the diamond, and is at such an angle in order to eliminate both interior and exterior reflections. The glass façade represents the open sorting operation; while the closed concreted elevation represents the security consciousness of the organisation. When it was opened the Diamond Information Officer, Dudley Holmes, said that “…the view is particularly distracting.”
40 days since beginning of the Siege of Kimberley, 1899
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
The field guns ran out this morning and shelled the Boer snipers till they retired. The first dispatch came in to announce the departure of our Relief Column.
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
The field guns ran out this morning and shelled the Boer snipers till they retired. The first dispatch came in to announce the departure of our Relief Column.
Carl Niehaus is sentenced to 15 years in prison for high treason - 1983
Carl Niehaus grew up in Zeerust, North West Province, and completed his higher education at Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). A student of theology, Niehaus was months away from his final exams in 1980 when he was expelled from RAU for putting up campus posters that supported Nelson Mandela's release form prison. In the same year, he resigned from the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) as he was opposed to their compliance with the apartheid system. He joined and became a deacon in the African Dutch Reformed Church in Alexandra and also became an active member of the African National Congress (ANC). Having worked underground for the ANC since 1980, Niehaus was arrested along with his fiance Johanna (Jansie) Lourens in 1983. Both were convicted of treason, and on 24 November, Niehaus was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. He served seven years of his sentence, while Jansie served all four years of hers. By 1991, the process of dismantling apartheid had begun and Niehaus was released from prison. He became the ANC spokesperson and held numerous other positions, such as chairman of the Transformation Forum on Correctional Service.
Later in life though, Niehaus was surrounded by controversy. He supposedly completed a degree in Industrial Sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand, and a PhD in Theology at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. But, it was revealed earlier this year (2009) that Niehaus does not have a degree from the University of Utrecht and that he had in fact falsified additional information regarding his qualifications and work for the ANC. He apparently convinced the owner of a travel agency to temporarily cover the expenses of a family holiday to Mauritius and when he was expected to repay the amount of money, he refused to do so. Allegations of fraud were brought against Niehaus, most of which he admitted to.
Carl Niehaus grew up in Zeerust, North West Province, and completed his higher education at Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). A student of theology, Niehaus was months away from his final exams in 1980 when he was expelled from RAU for putting up campus posters that supported Nelson Mandela's release form prison. In the same year, he resigned from the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) as he was opposed to their compliance with the apartheid system. He joined and became a deacon in the African Dutch Reformed Church in Alexandra and also became an active member of the African National Congress (ANC). Having worked underground for the ANC since 1980, Niehaus was arrested along with his fiance Johanna (Jansie) Lourens in 1983. Both were convicted of treason, and on 24 November, Niehaus was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. He served seven years of his sentence, while Jansie served all four years of hers. By 1991, the process of dismantling apartheid had begun and Niehaus was released from prison. He became the ANC spokesperson and held numerous other positions, such as chairman of the Transformation Forum on Correctional Service.
Later in life though, Niehaus was surrounded by controversy. He supposedly completed a degree in Industrial Sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand, and a PhD in Theology at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. But, it was revealed earlier this year (2009) that Niehaus does not have a degree from the University of Utrecht and that he had in fact falsified additional information regarding his qualifications and work for the ANC. He apparently convinced the owner of a travel agency to temporarily cover the expenses of a family holiday to Mauritius and when he was expected to repay the amount of money, he refused to do so. Allegations of fraud were brought against Niehaus, most of which he admitted to.