Energy and chemicals company Sasol announced last month that it had contributed R135-million to date to the Govan Mbeki and Metsimaholo municipalites, in the Free State and Mpumalanga respectively, as part of its commitment to the Ikusasa public–private partnership (PPP).

“At the end of last year, we announced our R800-million commitment to the Ikusasa PPP. This contribution serves to improve local infrastructure and upgrade education and resource centres, including public libraries, as well as to enhance healthcare, sports and recreational facilities in Mpumalanga and the Free State,” says Sasol CEO David Constable.

Sasol points out that it will contibute R100-million a year to each province for the next four years, which will make up the R800-million.

In August, Sasol handed over maintenance vehicles, two traffic patrol vehicles and Cherry Pickers to the Govan Mbeki municipality to contribute to the improvement of safety in communities.

Cherry Pickers are firefighting trucks that store large volumes of water and are dispatched to locations where a fire has broken out. The traffic patrol vehicles, in particular, will enable more effective local traffic law enforcement, notes Sasol.

At the handover ceremony in Secunda, in Mpumalanga, Sasol also celebrated the success of a cleanup campaign in the area, which was launched in April. The campaign created employment for 120 people from the local community and is focused on improving the hygiene conditions of the eMbalenhle and Secunda communities by remov- ing visible household refuse from streets. Ecobins have been placed in both areas for waste collection and to encourage community recycling efforts. These projects will continue for the next 12 months, states the company.

“These initiatives form part of Sasol’s R100-million investment in PPPs with Mpumalanga to enhance the living conditions of communities within the areas of our operations,” explains Sasol safety, health and environment Secunda GM Gerrit Viljoen.

“Sasol is committed to the sustainable development of our communities and this is yet another example of how we can deliver through partnerships,” he highlights.

In April, Sasol contributed R10-million to the Rejuvenation Metsimaholo project as part of project Ikusasa, which will result in the further development and improvement of Sasolburg, in the Free State, to enhance sustainable development in the area.

The Rejuvenation Metsimaholo project, which is governed by its own independent board of direc- tors and operational structures, was started in early 2000 as a vehicle to improve the socioeconomic development of the Metsimaholo municipality.

The trust focuses on specific areas, such as social wellbeing, safety and security, the environ- ment and arts and culture. The funds will be used to facilitate community-managed projects across these specific focus areas. The teams responsible for each area engage with communities at grassroots level to ascertain their basic needs and the challenges they face.

“We are proud of our partnership with the Metsimaholo municipality. This investment will further drive the development of our communities while building strong and mutually beneficial relationships,” says Sasol corporate affairs and enterprise development group executive Maurice Radebe.

“The Rejuvenation Metsima- holo project is an excellent example of how we can maintain community participation and ensure that we understand their needs on a micro level, while enabling them to improve their wellbeing,” highlights Radebe.

Rejuvenation Trust chairperson Ian Kennon notes that the contribution by Sasol will make a significant impact, as the trust focuses on bringing Rejuvenation Metsimaholo closer to the community, as the trust’s goal is to “mobilise the community through the community”.