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DECEMBER • 2016
Construction
WORLD
58
Professional Services
C
MTHATHA DAM TOURISM CENTRE
AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Mthatha Dam project master plan scope entails the design,
construction and handing over of a conference centre catering for
100 conference delegates, a restaurant, sunset bar and kitchen
facility serving 150 guests, built accommodation to house a total
of 100 guests, a camping site with 12 stands each to the maximum
carrying capacity of 6 people, a wedding facility to host up to 350
guests, alterations to Luchaba Nature Reserve gate house as well
as bulk civil, electrical and ICT infrastructure.
In addition to this, the development of the facility brings with
it the improvement of surrounding infrastructure, as is the case
with the tarring of the road leading to the facility as well as the
Mthatha, as the birth place of the former State
President of the Republic of South Africa, Nelson
Mandela will, in years to come, remain a tourist
attraction. The development of the Mthatha Dam
Tourism Centre and Recreational Facilities by the
Department of Environmental Affairs will be an
icon of the rebirth of Mthatha and the development
of the precinct will be reflected in the economic
benefits inherent in a process of this nature.
construction of a road meandering the natural and man-made
amenities presented by the nature reserve. The conference centre
and restaurant/kitchen opened for business in December 2015.
The UWP-led team is driving value-adding green and
sustainable development initiatives on the project in line
with UWP’s triple bottom-line (people, planet, profit) sustain-
ability policy.
The project has significant focus on job creation, skills
development and community empowerment. To this end a
community trust that shares in profits arising from the project
has been set up. The trust consists of representatives from each
of the thirteen surrounding communities as trustees. Proceeds
from the operation of the facilities are shared amongst the thirteen
communities through such programmes as financing the education
of children from the area and caring for the old and disabled.
Furthermore, the project has created 38 full time jobs to date,
of which 34 positions are filled from the local community.
Some 394 community members have received training in
various skills related to the operation of the facilities, including
seven individuals who have completed training at the Midmar Dam
and Hluleka Nature Reserves and are now full time employees
operating the nature reserve entrance gatehouse.
To date, from a budget of R66,7-million spent on the project,
an amount of R19-3million has been spent on local labour alone.
This amount excludes monthly expenditure of R154 550 spent on
salaries for permanent employees.
Solar geysers are specified for all accommodation units
and wastewater is treated on site through package wastewater
treatment plants to decrease the load on the municipal system and
allow for grey water recycling for site irrigation.
Project information
• Company entering: UWP Consulting
• Client: Department of Environmental affairs
• Start date: 11 March 2013
• End date: 11 March 2017
• Architect: MDA Architects
• Consulting engineers: UWP Consulting
• Project value: R38-million