Two new projects handed over to residents of Tshwane
Gauteng MEC for infrastructure development Jacob Mamabolo has handed over the newly completed Women’s Living Heritage Monument and a new mega-size model primary school in the City of Tshwane as part of delivering high impact socioeconomic infrastructure in communities.
The two handover ceremonies were held at Lillian Ngoyi Square in the central business district of the capital city and in Ga-Rankuwa, respectively, with the MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation Nonhlanhla Mazibuko and Education Panyaza Lesufi both receiving completion certificates of construction and design from the Gauteng department of infrastructure development.
The handovers took place on August 1 2016 following the completion of these two major projects, which had been entrusted to the department as the main infrastructure service delivery arm and overall custodian of immovable assets in the province.
Mamabolo said he was confident about the quality of the work done by his officials and the contractors who have implemented the projects, further saying he was happy the department had also maintained financial discipline by sticking to the allocated budget.
Mazibuko said the completion of the Women’s Living Heritage Monument came at the right time since this was the beginning of an important month which pays annual tribute to the bravery and leadership of the women who organised the 1956 Women’s March against apartheid pass laws.
She said the new monument was a fitting tribute to the turning point that the Women’s March represented in the history of the struggle for freedom and democracy in South Africa.
“The monument is a beautiful piece of work that will be shared not only with the people of the African continent but with the world as a whole,” said Mazibuko.
The monument features a leadership development and training centre and three floors of dedicated walls and space for murals, artworks and artefacts which will tell the story of women’s struggles covering more than a hundred years. The MMC for housing and human settlements, Councillor Ngonyama, said the monument would also create jobs for local communities.
Later on in the day Mamabolo and Lesufi were accompanied by local leaders and hundreds of community members in the area of Ga-Rankuwa as they officially opened a massive new primary school, which features computer laboratories, science laboratories, ensuite bathrooms, and sports facilities. The school will accommodate 1 200 learners from underlying communities, including the area of Tsunami.
Lesufi said the new facility represented a new model of an ideal school that the government would like to build in historically disadvantaged communities as part of developing the professionals of the future who would help South Africa make a mark in the world of science by developing locally designed products, equipment and machinery.
The head of the Gauteng department of infrastructure, Bethuel Netshiswinzhe, also unveiled the pledge book of the recently launched I Care We Care campaign, calling for the protection of public properties located in the various communities. Many community members signed the pledge and vowed to assume public ownership of the new monument and the school.