coega development corporation: home · web viewhe size of cdc-kzn’s department of education...
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BRINGING HOPE: The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) recently established its KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Office, which is an implementing agent for the rollout of a number of infrastructure projects on behalf of the KZN Department of Education. These are benefiting the province, mainly in
rural areas, where the organisation is building and refurbishing schools to provide a better future and access to quality education for all people of KZN through quality infrastructure delivery.
KZN to benefit from Coega Development Corporation’s
expertiseSchools building project valued at R15-billion,
Coega an implementing agent for KZN DOEDurban – 5 August 2013: Thousands of children in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) are set to benefit from new classrooms thanks to a partnership between the provincial education department and the Coega Development Corporation (CDC).
Infrastructure development in KZN is being enhanced through its provincial schools building programme, implemented by the CDC’s project management experts.
This is in keeping with the national government’s plan to provide access to excellent education for all people of KZN through quality infrastructure delivery.
While formidable challenges continue to confront the education sector in KZN, and many schools suffer from a lack of infrastructure, the provincial government is investing heavily on providing new and upgraded classroom facilities in previously disadvantaged rural areas.
National Treasury has allocated R76.7-billion for 2013/14 to the education departments of all nine provinces’; most of the allocation will be spent on building new classrooms. In KZN, the grant amounts to R15-billion and budget expenditure will include the construction of 2 000 classrooms.
The CDC plays a key role to the KZN Department of Education in its schools building programme, after extending its services to the province since 2010. The CDC is staking a claim nationally as one of the country’s leading infrastructure development agencies through its wide project portfolio in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, and now KZN.
“The CDC has established a stand-alone business unit in the province (CDC-KZN) with the explicit purpose of expediting delivery of enabling infrastructure throughout KZN and exploring new business opportunities in the province,” said CDC head of marketing and communications, Ayanda Vilakazi.
“This development is enabling the growth of the CDC and its service offering. It also allows us to start working on achieving our goals of socio-economic development and transformation for the entire country.”
He said the CDC had commenced spreading its expertise throughout South Africa by addressing skill shortages, unemployment, constrained planning and project management capacity, under-expenditure, sub-standard infrastructure, and inefficiencies that have long characterised delivery of infrastructure by government in South Africa generally.
CLASS CONSTRUCTION: Coega is building and upgrading schools in rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
“Socio-economic development and transformation underpins the CDC and this is also a core part of the KZN programme.
“They are both vigorously pursued through the early inclusion of such socio-economic aspects during the implementation of infrastructure projects such as facilitating the development of SMMEs; placing of interns in infrastructure development, and encouraging labour based methods of construction to maximise job opportunities,” Vilakazi said.
CDC-KZN now boasts a strong and growing staff complement at its Umhlanga Rocks, Durban office which is ensuring high levels of delivery on the projects under their leadership.
For now, CDC-KZN is involved in massive schools building project in the following areas: uMlazi, Thukela, Pinetown, Umgungundlovu, Ilembe, uThungulu, Zululand, Umzinyathi, Amajuba, uMkhanyakude, Sisonke and Ugu.
Vilakazi said the size of CDC-KZN’s Department of Education projects had doubled since the previous financial year – from R444-million in 2011/12 to R846-million in 2012/2013. This includes 40 new schools that are being built.
PLACE OF LEARNING: Coega Development Corporation’s Asanda Qangule (left) KwaZulu-Natal stakeholder relations manager hands over the brand new AmaKhuze Secondary School in Sisonke District to Acting Principal, Petros Vilakazi.
He added that throughout the conceptualisation and implementation of projects by CDC, the following are taken into account:
Highly efficient construction methods which maximise the labour complement on site;
Larger projects are unbundled to allow participation by smaller contractors; Local labour and sub-contractors are prioritised on contracts; Life skills training is provided for all site staff; and Internships are offered for budding artisans, tertiary students and
graduates.
The CDC commits to putting to good use the wide experience and expertise gained in the construction and management of the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ).
TOP STRUCTURE: Dinuphozo Primary School in Ilembe District under construction.
ENDS. (682 words)________________________________________________________________________________________________________Note to the editor: The Coega Development Corporation (Pty) Ltd (CDC) is the operator of the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. It established its KwaZulu-Natal office, called Coega KwaZulu-Natal (CDC-KZN), in 2010 as a stand-alone business unit in the province with the explicit purpose of expediting delivery of enabling infrastructure throughout KZN and finding new business in the province. It currently services the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education on its schools building projects and is committed to offering total business solutions for its clients, as well as ensuring sustainable economic development in the region.
For more information contact: Ayanda VilakaziHead of Marketing and Communications Coega Development Corporation
