‘Training centre not closing’

‘De Beers has not indicated any intention of closing the facility’

DE BEERS has denied reports that the Technical Training Centre in Kimberley is closing its doors.

The company’s senior communications manager, Jackie Mapiloko, said yesterday in response to media enquiries that the De Beers Company was proud of the milestones that the Technical Training Centre (TTC) in Kimberley has accomplished over the last 45 years in training artisans across South Africa.

“The company has not indicated any intention of closing the facility and remains confident of the facility’s ability to provide world-class training.”

Mapiloko added that De Beers was, however, currently going through a review of its business model of the TTC and would inform its staff in the event of changes to its current operating model.

Reports that the training centre was set to close down at the end of the year came amidst the announcement earlier this week that the

Jaff and Co. clothing factory, which has been part of Kimberley’s business landscape for more than 70 years, had been liquidated, leaving nearly 300 workers unemployed.

Last month, a number of employees of Kimberley Ekapa Mining Joint Venture (KEM-JV) also received letters of retrenchment from the company.

While not stating how many employees had been retrenched, a KEM-JV spokesperson indicated that the number “was much reduced from the initial number of around 150, as projected when the Section 189 notification was served”.

“This decrease in the number was achieved through a process of natural attrition (resignations, transfers, dismissals, etc), making voluntary separation and voluntary early retirement available and reconsideration of the staffing of certain functions,” he said.

The company has also warned that further retrenchments would be linked to the closure of the Super Stone Plant, which could result in a number of employees becoming redundant.

“This is currently scheduled for December 2018, but the plant will be kept in operation for as long as it is making a positive financial contribution.”