ZAC officially hands over the new ablution blocks to Zwelonke High School
I-ZAC yethula ngokusemthethweni izindlu ezincane ezintsha eZwelonke High School
Zwelonke High School ablution facilities given a R1 million makeover
The new, permanent ablution facilities will improve health and hygiene standards at the school, enabling learners and teachers to have a better learning environment. The handover forms part of ZAC’s Social and Labour Plan to upgrade the ablution facilities of several schools in the area, as part of efforts to improve hygiene and learning conditions at local schools.
R1 million worth of new ablution facilities, which utilise a dry sanitation system owing to the water constraints faced by the school, were handed over to Zwelonke High School by ZAC on 9 September 2020.
Zwelonke High School is a government-run school located in Mahlabathini, KwaZulu Natal, which is around 30 km from ZAC. The institution is classified as a rural education institution by the National Education Infrastructure Management System and has 1 068 students in total.
“We receive water tanks from the municipality because there is no running water at the school. The school’s toilets previously comprised old pit toilets that often overflowed with raw sewerage, and therefore were a health and safety concern to learners and staff,” explained Zwelonke High School Principal Mr Philani Makhathini.
“We much appreciate ZAC’s donation of the new toilets to our school. It has substantially improved the status of hygiene and safety for our staff and learners. This project will also help us greatly in mitigating our staff and learners’ risk of contracting coronavirus.” Grade 10 learner Thobeka Mkhize thanked ZAC on behalf of the learners at the school, while Department of Education Circuit Manager for Mahlabathini Xoliswa Cele lauded ZAC’s efforts stating: “We are overwhelmed by ZAC’s support of the local education system.
As a responsible corporate entity, the company is greatly assisting the government by addressing a serious inequality faced by rural schools through the donation of modern toilet blocks to the school.” The project comprises the construction of eight banks of block toilets for male and female teachers, disabled people and both male and female learners. Conrite Projects was the contractor appointed by ZAC to undertake this project, and in so doing also employed 8 local labourers, a security night shift guard and a community liaison officer. All sand, stone, cement and M140 blocks were purchased from local suppliers in the Ulundi area.
Menar’s COO for Anthracite Bradley Hammond explained: “A need for school toilets was identified by local government, which is where the idea for this project arose. Despite ZAC currently being on care and maintenance, we have not paused our Social Labour Plan agreements, and are committed to assisting government to provide improved hygiene for several other local schools in the area as well.” Menar Group Social Licensing Manager Xolile Mankayi, added that the group was committed to carrying out such projects, that had long term benefits for learners and, which ensured that staff and learners could utilise the ablution facilities in dignity.
Izindlu ezincane eZweleonke High School zenziwe kabusha ngo-R1 million
Izindlu ezincane ezintsha zizophucula impilo nenhlanzeko esikoleni, ukuze abafundi nothisha babe nendawo yokufundelela nokufundisa engcono. Ukwethulwa ngokusemthethweni kwale ngqalasizinda kuyingxenye yohlelo lweZAC, iSocial and Labour Plan, lokuphucula izindlu zangasese ezikolezi zendawo, njengengxenye yemizamo yokwenza ngcono inhlanzeko nesimo sokufunda kulezi zikole.
Lezi zindlu ezincane ezintsha nezibize uR1 million, futhi ezingawasebenzisi amanzi ngenxa yokwentuleka kwawo kule sikole, zethulwe ngokusemthwethweni eZwelonke High School yi-ZAC ngomhla ka-9 ngoMandulo wezi-2020.
IZwelonke High yisikole sikahulumeni esiseMahlabathini, KwaZulu-Natali, cishe amakhilomitha angu-30 ukusuka eZAC. Lesi sikole sithathwa njengesikole esisemaphandleni, njengokusho kwe-National Education Management System, kanti sinabafundi abalinganiselwa ku-1 068. “Amanzi siwalethelwa ngumaspala ngamaloli ngoba asinawo la esikoleni. Amathoyilethi ebesinawo ngaphambilini bekuyilawa omgodi futhi ebegcwala aze akapake ngaphezulu, ngakho bekukukhulu ukukhathazeka ngezempilo nokuphepha kubafundi nabasebenzi,” kuchaza uthishanhloko waseZwelonke uMnuz Philani Makhathini.
“Siyabonga umnikelo we-ZAC ngamathoyilethi amasha esikoleni sethu. Lokhu kwenze ngcono kakhulu inhlanzeko nokuphepha kwabasebenzi nabafundi bethu. Le ngqalasizinda izosisiza futhi emizamweni yethu yokugwema ukutheleleka kwabasebenzi nabafundi nge-coronavirus.”
Ekhulumela abafundi kulesi sikole, uNksz uThobeka Mkhize, ongumfundi weBanga 10 udlulise ukubonga kwabakwa-ZAC, kwathi umphathi wesifunda saseMahlabathini, eMnyangweni wezeMfundo uXoliswa Cele uncome imizamo yale mayini wathi: “Luyamangaza uxhaso lwe-ZAC ezikoleni. Njengesikhungo esinakekelayo, le nkampani isiza kakhulu uhulumeni ukulwa nokungalingani kwezikole zasemakhaya nezinye ngokunileka ngezindlu ezincane ezisezingeni.
Lezi zindlu ezethulwe eZwelonke zinolayini abayisishiyagalombili bothisha besilisa nabesifazane, babafana nabamantombazane kanti ziyakwazi ukusetshenziswa nangabantu abaphila nokukhubazeka. IConrite Projects yiyo ebiqashelwe ukwenza lo msebenzi. Kuphinde kwaqashwa abasebenzi betoho abayisishiyagalolunye, unogada wasebusuku nomxhumanisi womphakathi. Inhlabathi, amatshe, usimende nama-blocks kwathengwa kumabhizinisi endawo Olundi.
UMnu uBradley Hammond oyi-COO yeMenar emayini uthe: “Isidingo samathoyilethi sashiwo nguhulumeni wendawo, nokuyilapho umqondo walolu hlelo wavela khona. Nakuba iZAC isavaliwe ukuze ithakekelwe, asizimisile izivumelwano zethu se-Social Labout Plan, kanti sizimisele ukusiza uhulumeni aphucule inhlanzeko ezikoleni nasemphakathini.”
UMnu uXolile Mankayi, oyi-Social Licencing Manager weMenar, wengeze ngokuthi le nkampani izibophezele ukuqhuba izinhlelo ezifana nalezi, ezinenzuzo yesikhathi eside kubafundi futhi eqinisekisayo ukuthi abasebenzi nabafundi basebenzisa izindlu ezincane ezihloniphekile.