...Build on the Best...
Business builds for Soweto learners
August 2010
The youngest children at Makhuba Primary School in Orlando West, Soweto, are beginning a new life of learning in modern new classrooms built for them in a business joint venture involving local construction industry leaders.
The new school block has been built with 36 000 bricks donated by clay brick manufacturer Oconbrick - a member of the Murray & Roberts Building Products group of companies - a partner in the development initiative with Grinaker-LTA.
Makhuba Primary has intimate links with one of the most important turning-points in South African modern history: it is located opposite the memorial to Hector Pieterson, the boy who was the first to fall in the 1976 Soweto student uprising. The school is named in tribute to Mbuyisa Makhuba, who carried Hector’s body away from the June 16 killing field. Mbuyisa was also lost in the struggle – he disappeared that day, never to be seen again. Relatives of Mbuyisa were present at the formal opening of the new classroom block.
Two classrooms, a kitchen and store-room, have been added to the school to accommodate Grade R local children aged between 4,5 and 6,5 years, and Grade 1 pupils between the ages of 6,5 and 7,5 years.
Oconbrick’s Gem bricks were used in the construction. These are normal-length bricks but double the width of normal bricks.
Left : Lucas Steyn (Oconbrick Sales Representative), Mariana Lamont (Oconbrick Sales Manager)
Right: Chris Martin (Grinaker – LTA Engineer), Charl Thompson (Grinaker – LTA Construction Manager).
Learners at Makhuba Primary
Classrooms, kitchen & store room built
