An assessment of the potential socio-economic impact of the future closure of DBNM's diamond mines in Namaqualand

Bibliography: p. 163-167.De Beers Consolidated Mines, Namaqualand Division (DBNM) anticipate that the financially viable diamond reserves at their mines on the West Coast would be depleted by 2002, resulting in closure of the mine. DBNM commissioned the Environmental Evaluation Unit (EEU) of the University of Cape Town to assess the social and economic impacts of future mine closure and to recommend measures to mitigate the negative impacts. The aim is to assist DBNM management in future planning. Baseline data were compiled in a separate document: NM2005: Impact Assessment: Baseline Information Report. Using that data, this report identifies and assesses the socio-economic impacts of mine closure on DBNM employees, and on the two regions from where most employees originate, Namaqualand and the Herschei/Sterkspruit district of Transkei (Fig 2). Integrated environmental management procedures and social impact assessment methods were followed in the assessment