A4 Bks 2 - Department of Public Works

6
MULTICULTURAL CENTER
FOR COMMUNITY
Chivirikani Multicultural
centre official
Opening and hand over
R970 000 structure –
DPW’s initiative
By Nikiwe Shibambu
As part of Women’s Month
Celebration MEC, Mme
Machwene Semenya officially
opened the Chivirikani Multi
Cultural Project in Lulekani,
under the Ba-Phalaborwa
Municipality. In July 2007
MINMEC visited the project
as part of Expanded Public
Works Programme (EPWP).
MINMEC is an intergovernmental
relations meeting which
constitutes Of the National
Minister and Provincial
Members of The Executive
Council .
Chivirikani was initiated and
founded in 1998 by members of
the community themselves.
Since the project was founded, it
has been operating under tree
shades and mud houses that
were dilapidated. The project has
won several awards. This group
makes artworks, which includes
beads, crafts, traditional regalia
(swibelani) and other beautiful
traditional material. When
MINMEC visited
this project, the group of
Chivirikani requested the Minister
and the MEC to build them a
structure which they can do this
prestigious work from.
As one of the Department’s core
functions, is to facilitate and
coordinate the provision of
infrastructure. This was seen as
an opportunity to give back to the
community. The building of the
centre has amounted to R970
000.00 and it consists of four
rooms and an ablution block and
the whole yard has been palisade
fenced.
Robert Mabasa who is the
founder of the project explained
how they are going to utilize the
place. “One room will be an
administration office, one will be
an ABET classroom in this way
we are trying to combat the high
level of illiteracy in our
community, one will be our
showroom and the other one
will be a traditional restaurant.
Cooking traditional foods such,
Mopani worms, mala mogudu by
this we want to preserve our
culture. Our goal is to make this
centre a tourist attraction
centre”, Mabasa explained.
As she delivered her keynote
address MEC Semenya indicated
she feels humbled that this centre
is officially opened during the
Women’s Month.” This is indeed
an all Women initiative”, MEC
indicated. “The structure we see
today was a concerted effort
between the women of Public
Works, the National Minister,
Mme Thoko Didiza and the MEC,
and we are both women.
However alone we could not build
a structure, we needed
consultants, builders, project
managers and so forth. I am not
sure if it was fate, but the
consultant and project manager
for this project were women,
most of the participants in this
project are women.
Today, we are gathered in the Ba-
Phalaborwa Municipality, and it is
pleasing to be here with the
Mayor, who also happens to be a
woman, the MEC excitedly
highlighted.
The MEC further indicated that
the centre will assist in exposing
and exploring multi cultural
artistic initiatives amongst the
people of Lulekani. It is also
hoped that the centre will enable
many people to acquire skills
through its many programmes
and that it will boost the Limpopo
Tourist industry.
MEC admiring some of
the beautiful artworks during
the official opening of Chivirikani
Multi Cultural Project
MEC and
Robert Mabasa cutting the ribbon
The heartland of southern Africa - development is about people