PROPOSAL FOR A:

HANDOVER OF TIMBER FRAME SCHOOL:

PRINCE SOMCUBA PRIMARY SCHOOL AND EDUCARE CENTRE BY

SAFCOL

AT KWA-NONGOMA & YOUTH EXPO,

KWA-ZULU NATAL PROVINCE

DATE: 05 SEPTEMBER 2015

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PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION

• To share the draft Concept proposed for the DPE Deputy Minister, Mr Bulelani Magwanishe

Handover of the Timber frame built, Prince Somcuba Primary School and the Educare Centre at Kwa

Nongoma in KZN scheduled for the 5th September 2015.

• To seek buy-in and common understanding on the elements of the proposed Event in alignment to

pre-events activities of the World Forestry Congress to be held from the 7th – 11th September 2015.

• To scope the requisite resources and stakeholders necessary to support this Session

• To provide the framework of the engagement that will clarify roles and involvement of the different

role-players

• The community of Emhlabaneni approached Komatiland Forests through the Joint Community Forum in 2010

requesting for a primary school to be built closer to the village as their children had to walk long distances-

approximately 10km by foot- which posed a danger to the young learners. The Department of Education then

confirmed that there was a need for school to be built and supported the request from the community. SAFCOL

approved the building of the school and started building in February 2011. Due to delays in registering the school,

SAFCOL stalled the building of the administration block until the Department of Education issued a letter confirming

that the school has been registered. In Nov 2014, Prince Somcuba Primary School was registered officially. Although

the administration block was not completed, the school started functioning on January 2015.

• The school is situated close to Ngome Plantation which is located 70 km on the North Eastern side of Vryheid in

Abaqulusi Local Municipality, Zululand District Municipality in KwaZulu Natal. SAFCOL has built six classrooms with

admin and an ablution block. For security purposes, a fence surrounding the school has been erected; two play-

structures, school desks; other furniture and educational toys were also supplied to the school. To ensure a conducive

environment for learning and teaching, SAFCOL has assisted the school with the electrical connection.

• The Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises (DPE) sits as the chairperson of the Corporate Social Investment Forum

which is constituted by six SOC falling under the DPE portfolio. The purpose of the CSI Forum is to direct the CSI

spend of the SOC so as to realise maximum impact. Further, the Forum serves to ensure that the SOC contribute to

the development of societies where they operate. Safcol has been involved through its CSI in the development of

communities in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces.

• The World Forestry Congress will also be hosted in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal during the September month of 2015. This

is a significant occasion for the world’s foresters and forest supporters to gather, share their expertise and experience,

and to project a new vision for the future. It is on this premise that the Deputy Minister’s primary school handover and

Forestry Sector Career Expo in aligned to this Forestry Congress as the world will be entering a new development era

with the adoption of the post-2015 sustainable development goals and the opportunity of showcasing of South Africa’s

Forestry State-owned company couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. .

BACKGROUND

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1. The Deputy Minister will be visiting the area for a formal handing over of the Timber-frame built school

and open the education centre. The handing over is expected to draw thousands of community members,

chiefs as well, particularly King Goodwill Zwelithini, international forestry stakeholders and the KZN

Provincial and local leaders of government. The school has:

Currently enrolled 54 learners in the foundation phase;

The numbers are expected to increase to 430 in January 2016.

More than 20 direct jobs were created and skills transferred in general construction.

A total of five educators are employed permanently at the school.

INTRODUCTION

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2. The Deputy Minister sits as the chairperson of the Corporate Social Investment Forum which is constituted

by SOC within the DPE portfolio. The DPE has a Youth Economic Participation-YEP Programme located within

the EIPA Unit to drive and coordinate SOC youth development initiatives. Youth engagements and other related

activities such as the handing over of community halls and educational facilities have been undertaken in the

past to support Provincial engagements, and any form of request supporting the Political Principals.

3. Given the upcoming World Forestry Congress during the September Month, a Forestry Sector Specific Expo

including the showcasing of stimulators for a “Try-a-skill” approach will be considered so as to optimize the

Forestry Sector role-players and the other DPE portfolio SOC participation. The Youth Session will focus mainly

on Skills Development and CSI platforms to respond to Forestry career and the sponsorship request made.

1.The Youth Career and Information Session for the handover of the said timber frame built Prince Somcuba

Primary School and an Educare Centre by Safcol is proposed for the 5th September 2015.

INTRODUCTION

HANDOVER PROGRAMME

1. The event is proposed as a three-way programme, considering the following:

a. Hand-over of the Educare Facility; build by SAFCOL

b. Official Opening, and Hand-over of the Prince Somcuba Primary School; a Timber-frame structured

classrooms build by State forestry company, SAFCOL.

c. Forestry Careers and Information Expo including the participation by Safcol’s Industry partners and the

showcasing of Safcol’s stimulators and machinery.

2. The Event will target 1000 people, to include the 1 secondary and 4 primary schools in the area with community

members from the near-by villages;

EDUCARE - FACILITY

1. The proceedings shall start in the Emahashini ECD Centre that will officially be handed over to the Principal and

the Parents. This will include gifts such as kids toys to be offered to the Centre

2. This Centre has been in use, and accommodate local children, and this event to undertake the official handover

that was not done when it was opened

3. The Planning meeting should provide detail of what and who are those to form part of the programme.

Considerations of time, and any formalities should be clearly spelt including the messaging of this element of

the event, so its aligned to the main theme of the day.

PRINCE SOMCUBA PRIMARY SCHOOL

This is the Main focus of the Event, and the formal programme is centred around this Hand-over

• 2 Blocks are almost completed which will be ready for Hand-over by the Dep. Minister and MEC of Education to

the Traditional Leadership and Community at large;

• Important message to be integrated is “Timber-Frame” as an alternative building material for schools, and

other public amenities – to demonstrate and change the mindset of communities

• In line with the World Forestry Congress theme: Forest: People; Forestry: Job Creation: The handover will

showcase how forestry can contribute towards the socio-economic development of communities:

• Forestry: Job Creation. Utilising timber as a new built material will result in job creation as the material is easily

accesssible from the saw mills which are located within communities.

PRINCE SOMCUBA PRIMARY SCHOOL

CONCEPT

1. A Youth Forestry Sector Career & Information Session led by Safcol and its partners that is two-pronged:

Information -sharing

• The SOC and its Industry Partners to present and engage the youth on opportunities in the forestry sector;

• Youth Beneficiaries esp. Female Foresters and/or Technicians from Safcol and partners to share their good story of success and journey

of a career in Forestry to motivate the youth

Exhibition Stalls for walk-ins by Youth interacting directly with Safcol and its partners about their programmes and how to

access them i.e. Bursaries, Learnerships, etc.

Showcasing of the Safcol operations simulators and actual equipments to help inform youth of the Sector machinery and

insight on their operations to form part of the exhibition stalls.

2. The Youth Session is proposed to run parallel with the main programme, so when the 1st part of the Programme takes place, the

Youth could be engaged either from the main venue of the event, or using the selected classrooms. It could then be continued later

after the closure of the main programme, to allow visits to the stalls

COMMUNICATION & PUBLICITY

• To be linked to the event Communication & PR plan talking to Safcol’s socio-economic contributions as a State-owned Company aligned to the Forestry Sector Congress.

• Ensure awareness and notice about the event is communicated through local radio and print media;

• Attract and entice the international media attending the World Forestry Congress to witness the handover and see first-hand how forestry products can play a vital role in the socio-economic development of communities thus resulting in job creation.

• Align to the provincial and local government communication approach, to also include provincial GCIS;

• Sensitivity to the local environment and coverage of the Traditional Leadership and its recognition

STAKEHOLDER PLAN

• All stakeholders must draw up a Stakeholder Plan that will help identify all the critical stakeholders from international, national to local. This comprises: RSA Government delegation, FAO, Forestry associates, NGO within the Forestry sector, the Zulu Land District Task Team, the municipality, the province, DPE, SAFCOL and others;

• A Protocol List is to be developed to early identify all the VIPs that attending the event, and to help the Speakers to acknowledge them

• DPE Security Unit should lead the coordination and drafting the Security Plan to consider the required safety issues for the event;

• The Safety Plan must also consider all the Risk issues that may impact the event, and develop the mitigation interventions

• The Security component must also engage the VIP support of the Principals including the King if he is attending

• All the support service are to be brought to the planning process early such as Disaster Management services of the Municipality

CONCLUSION

1. This is a draft and working document, that seeks further inputs from the various stakeholders

2. Safcol and its identified Forestry Sector partners are to be engaged immediately on approval so the

Session is aligned to their schedule, and also are prepared for their role

3. The DM’s Office and IGR should assist in coordinating the province and district stakeholders to ensure a

smooth programme

4. The Communications Strategy of this event should integrate this Session in its plans

5. The meeting should also finalise the Budget commitments from the proposed stakeholders, so to help

initiate the procurement processes