Orkney
About 4000 job opportunities will be created in Orkney Northwest, this was revealed during the recent opening of a refurbished processing plant in the area. The China-African Precious Metals Company will be in charge of the new establishment that is viewed by locals as a beacon of hope and is scheduled to go a long way in as far as uplifting the local economy.
The plant, which was resuscitated to the tune of over R200 million, forms part of the company’s R2 billion investments at its Orkney operations in the province. Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources was part of a high-powered government delegation that came to witness the event. He was accompanied by the Northwest Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, Executive Mayor of Matlosana Councillor Fikile Mahlophe and former Acting Premier Nono Maloyi.
Mayor Mokgosi was thrilled about the employment opportunities that will be created by the venture and told The Pixley Independent that this is a culmination of government investment initiatives aimed at addressing the scourge of unemployment and poverty in the Northwest province.
“This means all our investment initiatives from the sixth to the seventh administration were not in vain. Moreover, our ongoing efforts to lure investments and address the scourge of unemployment and poverty is yielding desired results particularly in the economically depressed communities like this one,” Mokgosi said.
According to Mokgosi more investment commitments are trickling in as the much-anticipated gas to power project in the same municipality will be announced before the end of the year.
“Over and above this project, on the 28th of this month, we will be meeting with a delegation of businesspeople from the Henan province of China, led by the Ambassador, to engage in various investment opportunities in mining, tourism and agriculture, which are mainly the three economic drivers of the province,” Mokgosi said.
Tebogo Mabena (28), an unemployed graduate from stillfontein viewed the investment as a beacon of hope. He said, “as young people in the district we are hopeful that this new initiative will assist us to make ends meet and finally provide for our families. I have never been employed in my life since leaving tertiary institution and this now provides a window of hope. We further appeal for fairness during the recruitment process and we hope that local people will be prioritized.”
