JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Platinum group metals miner Lonmin on Friday handed the New Marikana primary school over to the North West Department of Education and Sport Development, in Rustenburg, and the Marikana community.
The R17-million school will enrich the community by providing a first rate educational facility, accommodating up to 750 leaners in Grades R to 7. The school facilities include a dedicated Grade R learning centre, ablution facilities that also cater for disabled learners, a kitchen to provide meals for learners and a 900-seater hall.
The New Marikana primary school further comprises 16 classrooms for Grade 3 to Grade 7 learners; four classrooms to accommodate Grade 1 and Grade 2 learners; the Grade R facility that entails two large classrooms and a 115 m2 under roof open area; three managerial office facilities; a sick bay; and a conference room.
The launch of the New Marikana primary school creates a secure, conducive learning environment for learners, while increasing the capacity offered by the 19 primary and eight high schools already servicing the area.
Additionally, three local contractors were commissioned to build the school and 150 jobs were created that also benefitted the local communities.
Lonmin CEO Ben Magara said the launch of the school not only ensures better educational opportunities and, therefore, a brighter future for Marikana’s children, but it is also evidence of the company’s dedication to protecting the rights of people.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said partnerships in education are essential to the success of the mining sector. “Addressing the needs of our children and ensuring all learners are able to go to school in a safe environment is something [government] cannot do alone”.
The school handover forms part of Lonmin’s social labour plan (SLP) targets for 2014 to 2018, that emphasise the need to improve the quality of life for communities living near its mines.
Lonmin’s other SLP education achievements include a R100-million investment in education since 2014; 17 greater Lonmin community schools have benefitted from its school infrastructure programme; 2 799 children have benefitted from its early childhood development programme; and 1 416 students have been placed in various learnership programmes in mining and nonmining fields.