Eskom officially handed over two schools and a health care clinic valued at a total of R11.4 million to communities in Lephalale and surrounding areas, as part of the Medupi Power Station Project’s Corporate Social Investment Initiatives.

The benefiting schools - Sethula Secondary School and Tshukudu Primary School in Shongoane Village, where a combined total of R6.9 million was invested, have an enrolment of approximately 980 learners.

A total of R4.5 million of the investment was spent on Marapong Health Care Clinic in Marapong Township. This project was executed in partnership with the Department of Health, Exxaro and Lephalale Local Municipality with the sole purpose of ensuring that locals have access to basic health services.

The investment went towards the refurbishment and upgrading of existing infrastructure as well as for the construction of new infrastructure. It included the provision of new furniture for the newly built classrooms and health care clinic as well as drilled boreholes with water reticulation, tank and stand. Additional works included kitchen, laundry and office equipment as well as installation of IT and fire system to the buildings.

The three projects created business opportunities for 13 Small Medium Micro Enterprises (SMME) and job opportunities for 77 local people.

Eskom Acting Chairman, Mr Zethembe Khoza said: “As we embark on the Build Programme, we make sure that we contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of our communities. I am delighted that the children of these communities now have better school facilities and the broader community can now be attended to at a better health care clinic with better facilities.”

 

Issued by Eskom