South Africa’s Oldest Casino Resort Burns to the Ground

An aerial view of the devastation wrought at Mmabatho Palms Casino Resort. (PIC CREDIT: UNKNOWN)

South Africa’s Oldest Casino Resort Burns to the Ground

Peermont Hotels Casinos and Resorts’ Mahikeng property - Mmabatho Palms, Hotel, Casino and Convention Resort - was razed to the ground in September.

WHILE SOME guests were treated for smoke inhalation, no fatalities or serious injuries were been reported among guests staying at the hotel, and miraculously, the casino operation, along with the convention centre emerged unscathed, allowing casino operations to commence 2 weeks after the devastating fire.

The full scale of the damage is still being ascertained, but it is confirmed that the 4-star Walmont hotel has been destroyed (with exception of the wing containing the Executive Villas). Peermont Management also confirmed that all employee jobs are safe, and counselling has been made available to all employees and guests affected by the tragedy.

“We thank the management team on site during the crisis for their hard work and are sincerely grateful that there were no fatalities or serious injuries to either our guests or employees,” said Peermont Chief Executive Officer, Nigel Atherton.

Mmabatho Palms Hotel Casino and Convention Resort has along history, and according to Peermont is the first casino resort in South Africa, built by Sol Kerzner in 1977, opened as Mmabatho Sun and subsequently acquired by Tusk Resorts in 1997. Peermont Hotels Casinos and Resorts acquired the resort in August 2006 and it was rebranded as Mmabatho Palms in June 2009. The hotel plays an important role in the tourism sector of North West Province.