Visitors not Welkom: Curtains remain closed on iconic South African theatre

For decades, the Ernest Oppenheimer Theatre in the centre of Welkom stood as a hub of culture, staging everything from ballets and concerts to school productions.

Today, however, the 60-year-old landmark is condemned after flooding from neglected pumps left it unsafe.

The Labour Department closed its doors in 2023, and despite promises of a speedy reopening, no repairs have taken place since leaving a hub of culture in Welkom to die a slow death.

“Heartbreaking does not even begin to describe the situation,” said Dulcie Harris, long time manager of the facility owned by the Matjhabeng Local Municipality.

“It’s not just a job, it’s a passion. I’ve been in theater for 40 years, nearly 30 of them here.”

Harris still goes in to ensure that the heritage building is not stripped, but the basement leaks have not been repaired, and mold continues to engulf it.

With a quiver in her voice and face lit by a dusted crystal chandelier imported from Austria, she lamented the fact that the halls of the Ernest Oppenheimer Theatre have been silent for over two years.

“It’s a travesty. This is a diamond of the community that is being forgotten about, left to die a slow death.”

The Ernest Oppenheimer Theatre in Welkom has a rich history dating back to 1955, when the local management board decided the city needed a civic centre.

Originally planned as a town hall, it was transformed into a fully equipped theatre in 1961 after Marie de Plessis, wife of the Free State administrator, lobbied for the change.

Construction began in 1964, costing about R3.25 million.

Named after Welkom’s founder and mining magnate, the Ernest Oppenheimer Theatre was among the most modern when it opened in February 1968 with the operetta Bedelaarstudent, starring Gé Korsten and Leonora Veenemans.

It was a pioneer in accessibility, the first in the southern hemisphere to provide facilities for hard-of-hearing and paraplegic patrons.

Built with imported Austrian wood, French-woven tapestries, and Swarovski crystal chandeliers, the venue reflected European elegance.

“Just one section of the chandelier has 1,200 little glass buttons, and I wash them by hand,” said Harris.

The round auditorium seated 708 people and was designed for exceptional acoustics, with mahogany wall panels, plush carpets, and advanced sound systems.

A glittering chandelier hangs above, while one of the world’s first painted fire curtains framed the stage.

Beneath, the orchestra pit featured two moving lifts capable of holding 50 musicians with their instruments, a feature that placed the theatre among the most sophisticated of its era.

“This little gold mine can host any production: ballets, operas, musicals. I’ve had the Moscow Ballet, the Russian Cossacks, international artists,” said Harris.

The fall of the gold mine of Welkom

The basement of the Ernest Oppenheimer theatre has been flooded since 2020, which led to dangreous levels of mould and humidity levels in the building.

The pumps that regulate the water in the lower levels of the theatre have been broken since lockdown and on the 8th of May 2023, the building was condemned by the Labour Department and the staff were sent home. 

When it was closed, Dr Vuyo Adonis, executive director of Matjhabeng Corporate Services, described the Oppenheimer as Welkom’s own heritage site that must be saved at all cost.

On 11 May 2023, he told Vista news that repairs and reconstruction should be completed within six months.

In the 2023/24 IDP, Matjabheng listed the theater as in need of refurbishment, but no budget was allocated, citing “budget constraints.”

It was also referred to in the 2024/25 IDP, but no budget was allocated.

Nothing was budgeted for theatre maintenance or repair in the 2024/25 Medium Term Revenue & Expenditure Framework.

Municipal spokesperson Tshediso Tlali told Newsday that Mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha “said that the theatre must be reopened.”

He did not respond to further queries on what efforts have taken place to reopen the Ernest Oppenheimer Theatre, the budget to fix it and when the public can expect it to be open.

“Four times they’ve promised funding and repairs: meetings, estimates, then nothing happens,” explained Harris.

Coreen Malherbe, DA caucus leader in the municipality, said that they have been trying to get answers on renovation plans but to no avail. “It’s heartbreaking what municipal neglect has done to this proud theatre,” she said.

A monumental task

Yet, some are not holding their breath. Matjhabeng is already grappling with a severe financial and management crisis crippling service delivery.

Home to Welkom, Virginia, and Odendaalsrus, by 2025 it owed Eskom up to R6.8 billion and Vaal Central Water another R5 billion, while a 2023 audit found liabilities exceeding assets by over R4 billion.

The financial crisis has crippled services: water losses of 56% cost nearly R480 million a year, refuse removal has stalled, and municipal vehicles were seized over R200 million in unpaid debt.

Legal and administrative action has followed. In 2023, the High Court found the municipality in breach of its constitutional duties, a ruling upheld on appeal in May 2025.

The provincial government placed Matjhabeng under administration in February 2025, launching a Financial Recovery Plan. Civil society welcomed the step but urged transparency and urgency.

Despite a new budget adopted in May 2025, parliament stressed that water losses and debt repayments remain critical, otherwise the municipality might be crippled.

Other images of the Ernest Oppenheimer theatre