Laerskool Laeveld’s construction project now in progression

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17-10-2023
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Lowvelder
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Some 25% of the construction project at Laerskool Laeveld has been finalised. According to the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, they plan to be done by July 2024.

In contrast to prior articles Lowvelder had published surrounding the ongoing construction project at Laerskool Laeveld, which stated that it seems to be at a standstill, a recent visit to the school revealed otherwise.

The newspaper met up with principal Niël Jacobs to get up to speed on how things are going.

“I feel positive,” Jacobs said. “When the construction started, I experienced some troubling waters, but it is as if everybody made a mindshift to stop struggling and work to get stuff done.”

Lowvelder previously reported that due to the contractors demolishing one of the emergency staircases during the June/July school holidays, a new temporary one had to be erected, causing the actual construction to come to a halt.

Since then, the temporary staircase has been finished and deemed to be safe by the City of Mbombela’s fire prevention officer, Jacques Stassen. To date, it is still in place and ready to be used if necessary.

With the problem of the demolished emergency staircase out of the way, the contractors and engineers could start focusing on the building of the actual classrooms. “We’re about 25% done, according to the most recent progress meeting,” Jacobs said.

In July, Bongani Dhlamini, the spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, which is responsible for the project, told Lowvelder that it was expected to be completed in December. When asked the same question on October 10, he said the anticipated completion date has now moved on to next year.

“The official planned completion is June 2024, however, the contractor is pushing for partial handover by January. Currently, we have a hard-working contractor with a strong team overseeing the project. They are able to work effectively to ensure the efficient completion in time,” Dhlamini said in the department’s official media response.

While there is still a long way to go in terms of the construction, progress is being made and open communication channels regarding this have been maintained.