Xoloxolo Primary School
More job opportunities and better access to education facilities looming for the Kokstad community. The construction of a ‘state-of-the art’ school begins to pay long awaited results. The project has provided poverty and income relief for the unemployed community of the Greater Kokstad Municipality. This emerged during the Public Works’ Portfolio Committee Oversight visit on Tuesday 15 March 2022 at the Xoloxolo Primary School which is situated in Ward 9 of Bhongweni Area, Kokstad.
The Portfolio Committee has a duty to view and monitor progress in respect of construction of the school, with an aim at ensuring that service delivery is realized for the benefit of the destitute communities. The day’s programme was directed by Ms Mbali Fraser, the Chairperson of the KZN Public Works Portfolio Committee, who applauded the department on the work done thus far in terms of service delivery and taking into the department achieving its delivery target timelines.
The construction project has resulted in the transfer of various knowledge and skills to the beneficiaries from local communities and contributed to initiatives of reducing poverty levels within Kokstad. Amongst other beneficiaries is Thandazile Gugwana, a living testimony who has indeed benefited since her inclusion into the project. Thandazile was employed in the project as a Community Liaison Officer since 2019. Her duties include keeping the community informed on the progress of the project, liaising between the Municipality, community and the contractor; ensure the profile verification and certification for all approved beneficiaries and confirmation of appropriate relocation of such to their respective allocated project sites.
Through her commitment and hard work, Thandazile was offered sponsorship by Rambros Construction to further her studies on Business Management at Berea Technical College part time. “This is a dream come true, I finished my matric in 2017 and my family did not have enough money to fund my studies. This project has afforded me with a life changing opportunity.” Rambros Construction has committed to retain her in the company even when the current project is concluded.
Infrastructure projects of this nature often become ‘game changer’ – making positive strides for one’s life that results into a betterment of an individual’s personal development that continue to be sustained even beyond the project. Normally such projects create positive opportunities for a beneficiary to begin to realize that the desire for commitment and dedication paves a way for effective development. It all begins with the community project, then there is community involvement, followed by the cultivation of healthy relations between community and the project owner, where after beneficiaries come into the project – to learn and implement – which finally all parties (project, project contractor, community and government) benefit once the project has been finalized.
Ms Thandazile Gugwana – Community Liaison Officer
KZN Public Works Portfolio Committee and Public Works Management
during a site tour at Xoloxolo Primary School
Economic progress of the Xoloxolo Primary School’s construction project paints a better picture with promising numbers. Since the start of the project to date, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has facilitated the inclusion of at least 138 beneficiaries with work opportunities equally created in the course. The other advantage is that all EPWP beneficiaries were identified and recruited through Operation Sukuma Sakhe (OSS) campaign that is available within Wards of each local municipalities’ War Room. In this instance, Ward 9 has been the major driver in the allocation of beneficiaries to the project in question. The project scope included construction of 25 new classrooms; construction of 3 multi – purpose classrooms; computer room; library, administration and Grade R blocks; a combi court; waterborne ablution facilities including associated work sites. The construction work commenced in June 2019 and is expected to be completed in May 2022. The school construction phase stands at 94% completion rate with a total amount of R56 748 375.07. The department continues with its mandate of sustaining infrastructure development and property, it further prides itself in contributing towards skills development for the betterment of the people of KwaZulu – Natal Province.
