The home of the DFA for the past 36 years, on the corner of Bean and Villiers streets in Kimberley’s CBD, has been sold, allowing for the property to be developed for the greater good of the city and its people.
THE DFA will relocate to its new offices at the North Cape Mall this weekend. The new office, situated at the Jacobus Smith Avenue entrance to the mall, above Nedbank, will be open on Monday morning.
The home of the DFA for the past 36 years, on the corner of Bean and Villiers streets in Kimberley’s CBD, has been sold, allowing for the property to be developed for the greater good of the city and its people.
Since the relocation of the printing press to Johannesburg in 1999 the building has been totally underutilised and the option to sell it has been in the pipeline for several years.
The Editor of the DFA, Johan du Plessis, stated that the sale of the building and the move to the North Cape Mall is just another positive development in the rich history of the newspaper.
“We are all very excited about the move and also a bit emotional with some staff spending more than 30 years at the corner of Bean and Villiers.
“But this is a new beginning and just the first step in more exciting changes ahead for the DFA as we move forward in a city and a world that has changed.”
Du Plessis emphasised that, despite the rumours and doomsayers, “the DFA is here to stay, we are not closing down”.
“Although we have gone from a daily publication to a weekly publication, we have grown on other platforms. We have one of the biggest Facebook following in the Province while our website (www.dfa.co.za) has grown in leaps and bounds.”
But the best is yet to come, Du Plessis stated, adding that “print is definitely not dead”.
“We still produce a weekly newspaper in an environment where many have closed doors, and we will continue to do so. We have plans in place to ensure that the future of the newspaper is bright and sustainable. Watch this space.”
He thanked all the newspaper’s readers and advertisers for their loyal support.
“Your support allows us to do what we do well and that is to keep the people of our Province informed.”
Sandy Naude, CEO of Africa Community Media, publishers of the DFA, thanked the residents of Kimberley for their ongoing support as well as the DFA’s staff for their dedication and commitment.
“It is a privilege to be caretakers of the DFA’s legacy and we look forward to another chapter in its journey, starting on Monday at the new premises.”
