Underground tours at the historic Cullinan Diamond Mine (CDM), the site of the discovery of the world’s largest diamond – the Cullinan I or ‘Star of Africa’ – have been cancelled. Cullinan is a small mining town 30km east of Pretoria in Gauteng.

Grace Masango from Cullinan Tours has revealed to Tourism Update that the underground tours have been cancelled due to “safety reasons”.

However, the surface tours will remain open.

Impact of closure on tourism

The termination of the underground tours at the CDM, one of the only working mines in the world to offer these types of tours, will have a significant impact on the historic village that surrounds it.

This is according to councillor Johannes Bekker, who said the mine, which has been in operation for over a century, has been a major tourist attraction.

“It has drawn visitors from all over the world to explore its depths and learn about the diamond mining process,” said Bekker.

“The tours have been a source of income for many businesses in the village, including restaurants, shops, and guesthouses. With the cancellation of the tours, many of these businesses are likely to see a decline in revenue, which could have a ripple effect throughout the community.

“Additionally, the village’s cultural and historical significance may also suffer, as the mine and its tours have been a part of the area’s heritage for generations.”

He said the underground tours – taking place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays – have been one of the town’s top attractions for more than 20 years.

“It was an experience of a lifetime to spend three hours exploring CDM underground, knowing we were more than 600 metres below the surface yet far from the Cullinan residential areas.”

The Cullinan I diamond was recently on display in the royal sceptre at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III.