Newclare: A sweet gesture for Everest Primary

Everest Primary School has been undergoing a new look since 2015.

July 5, 2017

Janice Beckett 2 minutes read

Hard work continues by locals for the competition of phase 2.

Government schools all closed on June 30, but it was not just a regular ‘last day of school’ for Everest Primary.

It was one filled with sweet packs, cupcakes, the handover of brand new appliances and of course, learners receiving their end of term reports.

Everest Primary School has been undergoing a new look since 2015 when Yikusasa Building Contractors SA moved onto the premises. “We started the school on the 26th of March 2015.

We had a lot of hassles, construction was stopped for a whole year for a new design which was given to us on the 3rd of August 2016.

**Workmanship and teamwork all in one for local contractors**.

Everything is going very well at the moment, we are on target, and we will be handing over the school at the end of November,” said Derick van Rooyen the senior contract manager.

According to Ethwell Morrison, the founder and chief executive officer of the company, the vision for the company are to not only build in communities but to also provide skills development.

“Seventy percent of this building has been built by the local community. So, we pride ourselves in that and what I can say about this particular school is that I think that the department of education is doing very well in giving very good facilities to the community when it comes to schools,” said Morrison.

Van Rooyen added: “We are running about 20 local sub-contractors from this side at the moment with 225 people working on site with the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) from the community, Bheki Mbatha.”

**CEO Ethwell Morrison and Principal Dusti Berry during the handover of the new appliances**.

Due to the bad earthworks on the premises, the contractors had to split the school into two phases, Phases 1 and 2. According to van Rooyen Phase 1 is about 90 percent complete.

This phase consists of the library, multi-purpose centre, the laboratory and the nutrition hall. Phase 2 consists of the classrooms, administration block and the Grade R classrooms which are built separately.

The company decided to give the learners a treat by providing each of them with a mini bucket filled with sweets and a small cold drink. They also handed out cupcakes to the entire school.

Many children were already on holiday so Mbatha and his crew went to the different creches in the Newclare and Westbury areas to hand out the cupcakes.

The CEO also handed over an industrial fridge and two microwave ovens to the school with principal Dusti Berry receiving it as head of the school.

**Managing Director Pieter Strauss, CEO Ethwell Morrison and the senior contract manager Derick van Rooyen of Yikusasa Building Contractors SA**.

According to Berry, the old structure of Everest Primary School is non-existent.

“We really appreciate the building of our new school and that employment has come for the local community. Most importantly, there’s a legacy here that’s been built for the next 100 years.

“A state of the art school,” said Berry as he shows appreciation towards everything the company has done and are still doing for the school and the community.

“That’s what gives us that joy to say that we didn’t just build for money but we’ve left a facility for the community and we’ve left skills here,” commented Morrison on the skills development aspect.

“The good workmanship continues with the aim of providing the community with a quality facility for not only the learners but also the community to use.