Burgersfort’s R240m casino ready in 2015

DESPITE the recent strike in the steel-producing industry, the construction of the R240 million Thaba Moshate Hotel, Casino and Convention Resort in Burgersfort is continuing successfully and quickly to meet the grand opening date in early 2015.

Craig Harrison, the director of Harrison Project Management, the company in charge of the project, said construction had progressed according to schedule, with 85% of all concrete works, 80% of brickworks on the hotel building and 40% of the brickworks on the casino being completed.

He said all service installations had commenced and were 30% complete.

He further said having an open site had also allowed the external works for the roadways and parking to commence, and all the service installations were keeping up with this fast-paced project.

Aptly named after the Sepedi phrase Thaba ya Moshate, which can loosely be translated as “mountain palace or castle”, Thaba Moshate is a Peermont Group initiative that will see a major boost for Burgersfort.

The new resort will drive enterprise development, job creation and local development within the Greater Tubatse municipality, while making an investment value of over R320 million to the province, Harrison said.

The construction development phase of Thaba Moshate employed just over 300 local individuals and made full use of local business in helping with skills transfers to the local community, he added.

“The Thaba Moshate is located within the Greater Tubatse municipality and is expected to draw the majority of its support from the magisterial districts of Steelpoort, Ohrigstad and Burgersfort itself. The resort stands between the R37 from Burgersfort to Polokwane and the R555 road to Steelpoort where the main access road will lie.

“The 6 295m² entertainment complex will comprise an 82-key three-star select services Peermont Metcourt Hotel with a swimming pool and gym and a small conference centre with main venue, breakaway room and tent platform. A 160-seater restaurant will offer delicious meals and the show bar will serve as the resort’s live entertainment venue. The casino will house 150 slot machines and eight tables with a Salon Privé, deli, walk-up bar and promotions area. Additional facilities will include a children’s playroom, video arcade and a retail shop,” Harrison said.

Peermont Global development and compliance executive, Thabo Mokoena, said the ground breaking had lasted for 18 months before the brickwork could start. “The entire project will be completed in March 2015. This casino will boost the economy of Tubatse,” Mokoena said.

Limpopo Gambling Board chief executive Serobi Maja said Thaba Moshate would boost the economy of the province. He said the gambling industry helped to grow the provincial economy and create more employment.