Engen has stepped in to address pressing water issues at Edward Matyeka Primary and Siyanqoba Secondary Schools in Emalahleni, Witbank ensuring a reliable supply of clean water for learners and staff.

The project involved upgrading and installing critical infrastructure to mitigate water shortages and support the schools' operational needs. An official hand over took place at the two schools on February 11th, 2025.

Engen Senior Engineer Mongezi Juqu explained that  while Edward Matyeka Primary School has a municipal water connection, frequent supply disruptions often left the school without water for days. The schools JoJo tank also had several issues, including leaks beneath the tank and in the pipes and bathrooms, which meant the pump couldn’t be left on without risking further water loss. To address this, Engen replaced the tank with a new 10,000-litre model ensuring a reliable and consistent water flow even during municipal outages.

“By replacing the tank and repairing leaks, we’ve made sure that Edward Matyeka Primary can maintain a steady flow of water,” said Juqu. “This is essential for the well-being of learners and staff and ensures the school’s facilities can operate without constant water-related disruptions.”

Principal of Edward Matyeka Primary, Mr. Mandla Mashaba, expressed his gratitude. “This improvement has been a game-changer for our school we no longer have to worry about water shortages disrupting our daily activities.”

Juqu explained that things were a bit different at Siyanqoba Secondary as the school has no municipal water access and relies solely on borehole water.

“While the school already had a system of five 5,000-litre JoJo tanks, it was not well-engineered. The tanks were only connected at the bottom, with no supply line linking them at the top, which prevented the tanks from filling fully and led to frequent pump failures.”

Engen stepped in to address these issues by installing a 5,000-litre holding tank, adding a 2.2-kilowatt centrifugal pump, and implementing top-level connections between the tanks, allowing them to fill properly and enabling a consistent water flow. This solution has ensured that the school has a consistent water supply, crucial for its day-to-day functioning.

“Our intervention has created a sustainable water solution for Siyanqoba Secondary,” commented Juqu. “By addressing the engineering flaws and enhancing the system’s capacity, we’ve ensured a steady water supply that the school can rely on.”

Principal of Siyanqoba Secondary, Mr Ntiwane thanked Engen for their support. “The new system has brought much-needed relief. Our learners can now concentrate on their studies, and we no longer face debilitating water shortages and disruptions.”

Olwethu Mdabula, Engen CSI Manager  said  these interventions demonstrates our commitment to supporting the next generation by providing access to essential facilities.

“Engen is firmly committed to investing in sustainable development projects that deliver tangible value to the communities in which we operate. Through these improvements, we hope to make daily school life easier and  healthier as well as restore the dignity of learners at these two school.”

Edward Matyeka Primary and Siyanqoba Secondary School  are both located close to the Engen Emalahleni Terminal.  Both schools have been adopted by the company and earlier this year, the two schools benefited from Engen’s winter campaign, which provided 50 learners from each school, and 700 learners nationwide, with new school shoes and winter woollies.

As a company that cares deeply about the communities in which it operates, Engen remains committed to creating lasting positive impacts through targeted community support.

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