Mining and Nama Culture
Lekkersing is surrounded by stark black hills covered in white quartzite pebbles. It’s an alien scene, made even more uncompromising by the dumps from the Diamond Quartzite Stone mine. Established in 1964, this quarrying operation produces many beautiful stone slabs in shades of red and gold, which have been exported around the world.
In the 1990s, South Africa saw a revival of the Nama culture in the Northern Cape region. In little villages like Lekkersing and Eksteenfontein, the culture’s traditions and language grew strong, and today the Nama locals will happily share their way of life with visitors. Donkey carts are used for collecting water, carrying firewood and transportation in Lekkersing, and is also a fun excursion for visitors. Locals are also fond of showing people how a Matjieshuis is built, which is a traditional reed hut originally used as dwellings by the Nama people, but is now used for weddings and special occasions.
The community also helped pave the way for the Richtersveld World Heritage Site, which led to a boost in tourism and income for the local communities. The locals now help to protect the natural biodiversity of the natural environment of the Richtersveld.