Wild Coast Sun invests R1.8-m in local communities

Some R1.8-million has been invested in local communities during 2020, thanks to the Wild Coast Sun Hotel and Casino, which is a member of Sun International.

All this has been done in partnership with local shareholders, Wild Coast Sun Mbizana Development Trust and Mgungundlovu Communal Property Association.

The investments, which cover a range of projects, from vegetable gardens to fixing up trauma centres at police stations and donating science kits to high schools, have helped ensure that local communities are properly supported through social development spend.

“We are very proud that we have been able to support our local communities in this manner, providing them with vegetables to eat, safe places to go to after violent incidents, as well as ensuring that schools have decent teaching resources and toilet facilities,” said Peter Tshidi, general manager of Wild Coast Sun.

Wild Coast Sun focuses its social and economic development (SED) spend on three pillars: education; sports, art, and culture and agriculture as these are the areas in the most need of investment.

Education was the biggest beneficiary of the SED spend at R1 127 111. This critical area was followed by sport, which benefited from R143 981 in investment, while environmental issues secured R397 014 and agriculture received R108 013. Arts wrapped up with an investment of R24 380.

To help needy students, Wild Coast Sun donated science kits and mathematics study guides to 10 high schools in the Alfred Nzo East District for grades 10, 11 and 12, as well as sanitary pads to girls in those grades. This was in addition to other projects in the education space.

Among the projects completed in the past year by the Wild Coast Sun Hotel and Casino Resort in Bizana was the golf coaching academy.

Here, golfing professional Arnold Mentz gets out his clubs to instruct local youngsters on their swing. He believes that beyond stance, grip and swing, the game imparts essential life skills.

Each week, Mentz instructs between 15 and 20 players ranging in age from eight to 18, who attend Ithuba Primary and Vulindlela High in Bizana, Eastern Cape.

On a Friday afternoon they play and learn on-course rules and regulations, Saturday mornings find them on the resort’s challenging 18-hole championship golf course that stretches along the stunning Wild Coast, practising putting, chipping and bunker play.

The children depend on donations and hand-me-downs for clothing and equipment, although Mentz says often what is donated is beyond usable.

To help feed the local community, Wild Coast Sun is also sponsoring Queens Greens with a borehole, pump and installation. It will also assist by buying some vegetables from Queens Greens.

Queens Greens comprises of 14 hectares of land and employs six workers to plant cabbage and spinach. Potatoes and onions are being prepared for seeding.

“These are just some examples of the work we have done in the past year. During 2020, we started or completed 15 projects that will help alleviate poverty in our communities, while also providing tangible benefits in the way of vegetable gardens, textbooks, and after-hour activities,” said Mr Tshidi.

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