Sun International to close Carousel and Naledi casino after lockdown

The Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with escalating costs and declining revenue have claimed the iconic Carousel Casino and Naledi Casino, both of whom have permanently been closed, and will not reopen after the national lockdown.

SowetanLIVE reported that Sun International confirmed that both the Naledi Casino, situated in Thaba Nchu in the Free State and the Carousel Casino in the North West, have run at a loss for several years.

In a statement, the hospitality company addressed inevitable looming job losses, saying they have 'started the process of engaging  gaming boards, relevant unions and employees'.

Sun International CEO Anthony Leeming said: "Given the unprecedented crisis that South Africa is facing, we accept that the authorities have no option but to implement a country-wide lockdown to protect lives. However, the inevitable financial burden it placed on us has impacted our ability to continue subsidising under-performing properties."

Leeming also said Naledi, a slots-only casino had run at a loss for years, while the Carousel had also incurred losses "for some time".

"We previously made every effort to turn both businesses around, but these efforts have not achieved the desired results," he said.

In the public interest, most of our coronavirus news isn’t behind our paywall, and is free to read. To support our mission of delivering award-winning, independent local news, subscribe from as little as R45 per month by clicking here