25 Sep 2016

Some projects undertaken through the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) in Selebi Phikwe have been completed and were handed over to the Selebi Phikwe Town Council (SPTC) on Friday September 23.

The completed projects include eight cubicles for reception classes at Boswelakgomo Primary School and 13 units of houses or flats at Phase 2.

Projects still in the pipeline are a classroom block at Boswelakgomo Primary School, eight teachers’ houses at Education Centre in the Phase 1 area, a classroom block for reception classes at Lapologang Primary School as well as a block of eight normal standard classrooms.

In total, 20 teachers’ houses, four classroom blocks and one ablution block will be constructed under the programme in the mining town.

Giving a keynote address at the handing over of the completed projects to the SPTC, the town clerk Mr Poloko Mojalemotho said the projects were undertaken through the ESP to have an economic impact in the mining town by creating jobs for locals and bringing infrastructural development.

He said contractors purchased materials locally to boost the local retail business in Selebi Phikwe, thereby helping to diversify the economy of the mining town. Mr Mojalemotho said the projects were completed on specified time, budget and according to the qualified standards of how the project should be when complete.

The town clerk also mentioned that he was optimistic that the projects which are part of the education backlog eradication programme implemented through the ESP would bring improvements in the education sector and help teachers produce good student performance results. Further, he said the completed projects would add value to asset base of the mining town.

For his part, the mayor of Selebi Phikwe Mr Amogelang Mojuta acknowledged the fact that the projects were being implemented by locals and more precisely by youth companies.

He said what they had done demonstrated that youth in the country have the potential to produce quality results on budget and time and had the potential to play a role in the development of the country.

He commended councilors and SPTC employees for playing a role in implementation of the projects and overseeing that the projects are being done accordingly until completion.

Meanwhile, Mr Gary Moroka, who was the director of Middle Enterprises contracted to deliver the eight cubicles at Boswelakgomo Primary School thanked government for having faith in local youth construction companies by engaging them in the ESP.

He said local youth companies have potential to produce good results.

He said his organisation worked as a team with the school leadership, project manager, builders and SPTC officials to realise the completion of the project.

He said the project employed 20 individuals from the mining town which means 20 families benefitted.

“The quality that we did was up to standard as inspections were done at the end of every stage of the project,” he said. He also mentioned that they purchased building materials locally as specified by the SPTC.

Meanwhile, the chief architect and buildings officer at SPTC, Mr Olebile Mafala said that he was happy the companies engaged in the project did a good job. He said the projects were done according to specification, budget and were completed on time. ENDS