Yesterday, 9 July Sasol handed over the renovated community parks and also safety equipment to the Govan Mbeki Municipality at the Sasol Community Centre in Kinross.
Sasol has always pride itself on investing in the community. Sasol has been investing in communities for more than 30 years.
With Sasol’s stellar reputation of ensuring that they support and promote projects such as health and welfare, education and skills development and environment and community safety, the renovation of the parks were right up their alley.
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The Kinross Community Park was an eye sore for all. The park was neglected for many years and even though the community tried to renovate, it was a struggle.
In 2017 the renovation of the Kinross Community Park was given the go ahead and the first phase of renovations started in January 2020.
Two local SMMEs (Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises) were contracted, Mkhalamuni Construction and Waka Holdings. Ricky B was appointed as a subcontractor.
These two local SMMEs used local labour to ensure the growth of the local economy and that also ensured that they created local jobs.
Sasol supported these contractors by providing technical support and to ensure the project is finished within the timeframe given and according to specifications so that the community can enjoy the park.
The first phase of the project included:
- Refurbishing the existing ablution facilities and storerooms
- Repairing playground equipment, existing stormwater inlets and spillway structures
- Installing an outdoor chess set, braai stands, a mini soccer pitch and a tall light mast to increase visibility at night for security purposes
- Clearing vegetation
- The entrance of the park was also upgraded to help control public and vehicle access
Sasol’s Vice President Secunda Corporate Affairs, Mrs Mashudu Ndou, Executive Mayor, Cllr Thandi Ngxonono, Municipal Manager, Mr Felanie Mndebele and Ward Councillor, Cllr Rose Nkabinde all visited the park to see the amazing renovations and upgrades that have been done.
Upon arrival the first thing to do was the ribbon cutting. The ribbon was cut by Mrs Mashudu Ndou, Vice President Secunda Corporate Affairs and Executive Mayor, Cllr Thandi Ngxonono.
Cheers erupted from the small group that attended the ceremony as the ribbon was cut and fell to the ground.
The small group was taken on a tour of the newly renovated Kinross Community Park.
The dam was cleaned and no reeds in sight, the rocks were painted, braai stands were erected, a chess set and outdoor gym installed.
But the biggest surprise of all was the newly renovated bathrooms.
The last time The Bulletin saw the bathrooms, they were in a state of disrepair. This time around the bathrooms were cleaned up and all facilities working.
The Executive Mayor was extremely impressed with the renovations and at the end of the tour the handover papers were signed and the keys handed over to the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
Sasol also handed over much needed COVID-19 safety equipment to the Govan Mbeki Municipality to sanitise all their facilities.
The safety equipment handed over:
- 5 8 Litre Pressure Sprayers
- 200 (XL and XXL) Tyvek suits
- 32 Presept Disinfectant Bottles
- 14 Dräger half filter masks with canisters
- 55 Uvex Safety Glasses
- 200 Disposable Plastic Aprons
- 12 sets of Hazmat Gloves
- 24 Sanifog Disinfectant Spray Bottles
- 100 FFP1 Face Masks
Except for these donations, Sasol has also been donating much needed resources to assist in the effort to flatten the curve. These donations include:
- Three mobile science laboratory vehicles, fuelled by Sasol loaned to the Department of Health to assist with community screening and testing, in partnership with Sasol Education flagship programme Osizweni Science Centre and the Sasol Foundation
- Provision of 10 administrators to assist in the department with data capturing
- Provision of more than 40 000 litres of sanitiser to stakeholders around Gert Sibande District and beyond to various departments and schools
- Donation of toiletries – including face cloths, soap, shower gel, tooth brushes and toothpaste – to homeless people who are currently housed at the shelter at the Kinross Golf Club Lapa in Govan Mbeki Municipality to assist people living on the street and to help curb the spread of COVID-19
“As a responsible and caring corporate citizen, we fully recognise our duty and deeper responsibility to continue supporting our fence line communities and society at large, in these challenging and uncertain times,” said Mrs Mashudu Ndou, Vice President Secunda Corporate Affairs.
She continued: “Working hand-in-hand with a broad range of social partners – in particular government, civil society and our fence line communities – we are driving our response efforts to equip and support our communities, our schools and those on the frontline of fighting the pandemic. We have also partnered with GMM to ensure upgrading of our recreational facility in preparation for a time when we will see families having picnics and children playing in the parks again.”
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