Gold miner Gold Fields' South Deep Mine has built and equipped a science laboratory at the TM Letlhake Secondary School, at Simunye, in Westonaria.
Westonaria, on the West Rand, is the municipality in which South Deep is located. TM Letlhake is the only secondary school in the area and is categorised as a Quintile 3 no-fee school.
The school was not equipped with a functional science laboratory for learners to undertake practical tasks, assessments and experiments in the natural sciences.
South Deep has handed over a fully equipped laboratory with capacity for 50 learners to the Gauteng Department of Education and the school’s governing board.
The science laboratory created 11 direct job opportunities during the construction phase.
“Despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, we remain committed to contributing to the welfare of our communities.
“Ensuring that the future generation has a solid foundation in the natural sciences is critical to the development of our country and our business. We are directly investing in the field of science and engineering and are developing technical skills that will not only benefit South Deep but the wider economy as well,” South Deep VP Benford Mokoatle says.