MEC Motara monitors Tlhokomelo School refurbishment in Meadowlands
By Prudence Motsila
19 April 2021
The MEC for Department of Infrastructure Development and Property Management Ms. Tasneem Motara made a follow up visit to Tlhokomelo Primary School in Meadowlands on the 19 April 2021 to inspect construction progress on the new school. The new facility will replace the original structure that was built 60 years ago which needed a revamping, additions, and restoration repairs to the old structure. The old structure was converted to a Special Needs School catering for Learners with Special Education Needs (LSEN) and the school will be positioned to meet growth in demand for educational needs to the community.
MEC Motara was accompanied by the Construction Project Manager Ms. Busisiwe Qwabe, Contract Project Managers, Architects and DID team. The CPM briefed the MEC since her last visit in November 2020, stating that the construction was experiencing delays which result in the project not being completed by the original completion date. 
Tlhokomelo Primary School is situated in Meadowlands East, Soweto in Johannesburg District. 
The Project Manager said the scope of work involves building rehabilitation works, electrical rehabilitation works and new construction. The facility will cater for learners from Grade R to Grade 7. The school is a modern information technology-based facility with a design based on a prototype that incorporates Department of Education National Schools Infrastructure Norms and Standards. The school falls in the mega school category due to its size that response to the demand trends encountered across the province.
Some of the existing classrooms will be converted into a library and a nutrition center and one classroom will be converted into a staff room with kitchenette installation. There will be a construction of disabled toilets within the existing toilets, improvements to newly constructed admin blocks and ventilation system for soundproof classrooms will be added. The existing perimeter fence will be repaired all plastic washing basins and water closets will be removed and replaced with ceramic types.
There will also be a construction of new Grade R classrooms which consist of two classrooms and toilets, a new ramp for disability access to the school, provision of new storm water works and a combination court, construction of drinking fountains, new pavement and parking bays.
This project further involves the eradication of hazardous asbestos structures, providing adequate and conducive learning and teaching space, improving working conditions by providing supporting facilities for the staff such as admin offices, staff room, staff toilets, and guard houses. Also involved in this project is improving safety and efficiency for the staff and learners, positioning the school to meet growth in demand for education and providing supporting facilities such as laboratories and media center that supports wide teaching and sports programme.
Most of the work is still outstanding and the construction is running behind schedule. MEC Motara voiced out her concerns regarding the poor performance on the work done by the contractor and indicated that the project must be speedily completed. The contractor mentioned a few destructions which might make it impossible to finish by the anticipated date, mentioning weather conditions as one of the few destructions.
The CPM informed MEC Motara that the project is behind schedule as it failed to meet the set deadline and that only 86% of work was done to date. She also stated that the PSP need to manage the Contractor accordingly and the department DID would request a detailed catch up plan by the 23 April 2021, showing how the outstanding works would be done completed. As per the contract, penalties have been applied to the Contractor and all outstanding Compensation Events will be finalized.