Barloworld Equipment today handed over the latest project in its ongoing community social investment (CSI) programme across Mpumalanga: several mobile classrooms and educational facilities for the Kwazamokuhle Secondary School in Hendrina.
The initiative is a partnership between Barloworld Equipment, the Thungela Resources Goedehoop Colliery, and the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality. The scope of the project includes sourcing and delivery of fit for purpose mobile classrooms to be utilised as a staffroom, kitchen and a boardroom, as well as all relevant furniture and carpentry fittings.
“We are delighted to be able to make a contribution like this to Kwazamokuhle Secondary School,” said Barloworld Equipment Executive of Operations: South Africa, Bongani Miya at a handover ceremony attended by mining and construction sector leaders and senior government officials.
“We understand that as partner in the mining sector, holding hands with our customers such as Thungela Resources, asserts Barloworld Equipment as an integral part of the Mpumalanga community,” said Miya. “We take this responsibility seriously, and participation in initiative such as these demonstrates both intent and follow through.”
Miya said the classroom donation was part of a broad range of CSI projects in the province, aligned with the Barloworld Equipment commitment to community and environment development in the province.
The programme also saw Barloworld Equipment recently launch a new digital hub at Middelburg Combined School, also in Mpumalanga, alongside NGOs Rhiza Babuyile and The Caterpillar Foundation.
The digital hub has provided the school and its learners with computers and connectivity to boost IT training, study research capabilities and to allow students to use computers in their wider learning routines.
Another Mpumalanga partnership between Barloworld Equipment and Thungela resources involves the building of a school library, which will be completed soon.
Apart from the Barloworld Equipment investment in community education, the business also spearheads tree-planting initiatives as part of a comprehensive carbon-capture strategy by the Barloworld Group.
“We are keenly aware of our responsibility to minimise the carbon impacts of our business,” said Miya. “Besides mining, Mpumalanga as has a long forestry tradition in the province. We therefore look to partner on tree planting initiatives that will support the reduction of carbon emissions for many decades to come.”
Only a few weeks ago, the tree-planting campaign saw Barloworld Equipment join forces with the Triple-P initiative to plant 116 trees, as well as additional Spekboom plants at the Beestepan Agricultural School in Middelburg, Mpumalanga
As part of the Tree Planting partnership, Barloworld Equipment also helps fund the training of school caretakers to remove and control alien plants. Protecting indigenous trees supports their ability to reduce carbon emissions, minimises biodiversity loss and saves water as local vegetation is highly water efficient.
“New classrooms, libraries, digital hubs and tree-planting projects all serve the same goal,” said Miya at the classroom handover. “It’s about helping to build better communities for this generation and the generations to come. It is a privilege to be able to give back and to contribute in this way.”
