Handover and opening of Kwanokuthula Primary School

16 February 2016

Tags:

DOI Schools Speech

Speech by Donald Grant, Minister of Transport and Public Works

Programme Director, Mrs Nkohla
Western Cape Minister of Education, Ms Debbie Schäfer
Mayor Memory Boosen
Ward Councillors
Pastors
School Principal Mr Faleni
Senior officials of the DTPW and WCED
Teachers and learners
Invited guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Good morning, goeie more, molweni

I am honoured to be here this morning as my department hands over the newly built Kwanokuthula Primary School to Minister Schäfer and the Western Cape Education Department.

This brand new R40 million school boasts a new hall, four specialist classrooms, a multimedia room, and sports fields. This state-of-the-art school will now be home to over 1200 learners who will receive a quality education in a school that they and this community can be proud of.

We began construction of this school in June 2014, and are proud to have it completed and ready for the new 2016 school year. This project has seen various empowerment goals achieved, particularly for the local community. 50% of this project’s labour force was sourced from the local community and empowered through our EPWP work opportunities; local sub-contractors and suppliers were used to carry out essential work during the project; and on-site training was provided for students of the built environment.

This project has also seen the innovative retention of stormwater that will significantly cut consumption costs in the long term. This also means that the building will have capacity to harvest rainwater for irrigation as well.

I should like to thank our project team from the Department of Transport and Public Works, our contractor, SJC Joint Venture, and the WCED for their dedication to seeing this project come to fruition.

My department remains committed to being the leaders in the delivery of government infrastructure and related services, and we will continue to partner with our colleagues at the Western Cape Education Department in building schools in areas where they are needed most.

May these classrooms be filled with learning and a continued focus on improved education outcomes, and may God bless all who teach and learn at Kwanokuthula Primary School in the future.

I thank you.

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Media Enquiries:

Siphesihle Dube Spokesperson for the Minister of Transport and Public Works, Donald Grant Tel: 021 483 8954 Cell: 084 233 3811 E-mail: siphesihle.dube@westerncape.gov.za