Nkwe Platinum Limited handed over the water supply project to four communities in the Sekhukhune District
Thirty one boreholes were drilled and/or equipped for the water supply projects across four of the mine’s communities and supported by the installation of 52 JoJo water tanks.
Nkwe Platinum Limited hosted a ceremony to hand over its social and labour plan (SLP) water supply projects to the Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) at Maandagshoek on May 25. The projects were officially handed to the SDM’s executive mayor, Maleke Mokganyetji.
The event marked the completion of Nkwe Platinum Limited’s SLP water supply projects within its four mining communities – Garatau, Maandagshoek, De Kom and Hoepakrantz, which fall under the Makhuduthamaga and Fetakgomo-Tubatse local municipalities. The projects were initiated by Nkwe Platinum Limited to provide access to clean and safe drinking water to communities and livestock surrounding Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine.
A total of 31 boreholes were drilled and/or equipped for the water supply projects across all four of the mine’s communities and supported by the installation of 52 JoJo water tanks. The clean water supply is distributed to the communities via 92 water taps that are stationed at various strategic points to cater for both the community and livestock. Nkwe Platinum Limited’s SLP water supply projects support 1 742 households within the communities with 320 000L of water resources per day and have created a total of 72 job opportunities.
The water supply projects include the mine’s first solar-powered water supply system for Ga-Mpuru Village in Garatau. The pumps of the solar-powered water supply system are powered by a complete solar system. In addition to providing round-the-clock water for the members of the community, the solar system also powers an electric security fence for the water supply infrastructure, making it a self-sustaining unit.
This signature water supply system of Nkwe Platinum Limited pumps over 55 000L of clean water from a pipeline that spans over 2km within the community. “The company strongly adheres to the co-development belief of ‘Mining for a Better Society’ and believes that the development of enterprises is closely related to the sustainable development of our surrounding communities. Through education, industrial support, infrastructure construction and joint projects, it is committed to developing and working together in a mutually beneficial and harmonious way for the benefit of all,” said Zhiyu Fan, MD and CEO of Nkwe Platinum Limited.
Mokganyetji applauded this initiative between Nkwe Platinum Limited and SDM as a great achievement in responding to the challenges of water provision. “I’m excited that the communities around Maandagshoek have clean drinkable water and that together with our strategic partners can continue this kind of project to other communities across the district.” She said the SDM will continue with the maintenance of all the water projects.
To date, Nkwe Platinum Limited has spent R53m on its SLPs. The investment included the upgrading of the Garatau community access road, as well as adult training and education bursaries, learnerships, internships, traditional leadership training and excavator operations, which have benefited the surrounding mine communities of Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine.
Community empowerments initiatives undertaken by Nkwe Platinum Limited have also included contracts awarded to communities and local businesses, such as R7.6m for the site preparation work for the box cut in 2021, and approximately R36m of crushers material supply, tipper truck and diesel supply, as well as various other projects in 2022.
