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Kimberley Airport lies about 6km south of Kimberley, South Africa. Its IATA Airport Code is KIM. The airport's history stretches back to June 1911, when the inaugural flight landed. In 1912 the arrivals and departures halls, as well as a control tower, were erected. Every week a range of cargo, including game trophies and industrial equipment, passes through the airport on its way to destinations in South Africa, Europe and the United States. And many rough stones leave Kimberley Airport for cities around the world.
Kimberley is a town in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is most famous for its diamond mining industry.
In 1866, Erasmus Jacobs found a small white pebble on the banks of the Orange River, on the farm De Kalk, near Hopetown. The pebble turned out to be a 21.25 carat (4.25 g) diamond. In 1871, an even larger 83.50 carat (16.7 g) diamond was found on the slopes of Colesberg Kopje, and led to the first diamond rush into the area. As miners arrived in their thousands, the hill disappeared, and became known as the Big Hole. A town, New Rush, was formed in the area, and was renamed to Kimberley on 5 June 1873, after the British Secretary of State for the Colonies at the time, John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley. The British, who had control of much of South Africa, were prompt to annex the area of the diamond mine. The Boers were upset by this, because they wanted it to be a part of the Orange Free State. The largest company to operate a diamond mine in South Africa was the De Beers Company, owned by Cecil Rhodes. Very quickly, Kimberley became the largest city in the area, mostly due to a massive African migration to the area from all over the continent. The immigrants were accepted with open arms, because the De Beers company was in search of labour to run the mines with.
Five big holes were dug into the earth, which followed the kimberlite pipes. The largest, The Kimberley mine or "Big Hole" covering 170 000 m², reached a depth of 1 097 m and yielded 3 tons of diamonds. The mine was closed in 1914, while three of the holes – Du Toitspan, Wesselton and Bultfontein – are still operating today.
On 2 September 1882, Kimberley became the first town in the southern hemisphere to install electric street lighting. South Africa's first school of mines was opened here in 1896 and later relocated to Johannesburg, becoming the core of the University of the Witwatersrand. On 14 October 1899, Kimberley was besieged at the beginning of the Second Boer War. The British forces trying to relieve the siege suffered heavy losses. The siege was only lifted on 15 February 1900, but the war continued until May 1902.
In 1913, South Africa's first flying school opened there and started training the pilots of the South African Aviation Corps, later the South African Air Force.
Kimberly also housed South Africa's first stock exchange.
Kimberley's climate has special appeal: the region has the best weather in the world for gliding. The World Gliding Championships were held at Kimberley Airport each year until 1968, when air-traffic control regulations forced the hosts to find another venue. However, many Europeans still visit the airport in December and January to glide.
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