New Primary School for Swellendam

The growing community of Swellendam is looking forward to the completion of the VRT Pitt Primary School in Railton.

The estimated contract value is R45 million and construction should be completed by the end of July 2015. The new school will be able to accommodate up to 1 120 learners and is expected to open its doors in the 2016 academic year.

Enrolment is set to start soon.

This is wonderful news for the town because the only other primary school in the area is overcrowded.

The Department of Transport and Public Works started construction in January 2013 when land adjacent to the Bontebok Nature Reserve became available. Most of the school buildings are constructed of conventional load-bearing clay brick and mortar, with a mixture of face brick and painted plastered walls. The senior phase classrooms have been built one storey up because of space limitations, and that part of the school is a reinforced concrete structure. The roof of the hall rests on structural steel supports.

School Facilities

• Two Grade R classrooms (with room to build two more).
• Ten foundation phase classrooms.
• Ten intermediate phase classrooms.
• Eight senior phase classrooms.
• Music room.
• Hall with toilet facilities.
• Administrative building.
• Kitchen.
• Garden store.
• Caretaker’s facilities.

Care has been taken to ensure that all classrooms have natural light and that they are adequately ventilated. There is on-site parking for staff, and a drop-off/pick-up zone for Grade R learners.

The school was built on a fairly flat piece of land with courtyards separating the administration, junior and senior school facilities. All street-facing windows will be fitted with galvanised steel burglar proofing. Covered walkways on the edges of the courtyards provide protected links between all the building elements. The entrances to all buildings are accentuated with gabion walls built of stone from the site. The stone was gathered by local unskilled persons to contribute to the goals of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

The site will be landscaped with a combination of grass and perennial flowering plants, including planters in the courtyard. Trees will be planted in and around the school to provide shade. Water for the plants will come from rainwater harvesting tanks that collect water from all building roofs.

The amount spent on local labour so far is R3 million. The target for youth employment is 84%, which is well above the national requirement of 40%. In addition, 15% of local labour has been employed through enterprises led by women.