MIDDELBURG – The newly constructed state-of-the-art library in Newtown, located in Ward 17 of the Steve Tshwete municipality, will soon be handed over to the municipality.
Construction of the library began in November 2021, and it is now 100 percent complete.
Throughout the construction, 186 job opportunities were created for local residents, including youth and women. A total of 19 suppliers benefited, and 31 subcontractors, all local businesses, participated in the project.
The facility will feature books, computers, and security systems, which have been procured and will be delivered and installed soon. It will also cater to the visually impaired and includes a children’s library, a computer room, a media room, and a study area.
The library was a request from the community during integrated development plan (IDP) meetings. The Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation (DCSR) supported the request to build the library in the area.
“This shows that as government, we take the community’s requests seriously and provide service delivery,” said DCSR MEC Leah Mabuza during a site visit on Thursday, 30 January.
Mabuza also urged the community of Newtown to protect the library as a valuable asset. “Please, we need to make sure we don’t vandalise the building when we are angry or protesting,” she said.
