Engen addressed water issues at Edward Matyeka Primary and Siyanqoba Secondary Schools in Emalahleni, Witbank, by ensuring a reliable clean water supply for learners and staff. The project upgraded and installed essential infrastructure to prevent water shortages and meet the schools’ needs. Senior engineer Mongezi Juqu explained that Edward Matyeka Primary had frequent municipal water disruptions and leaking JoJo tanks, which caused water loss. Engen resolved this by installing a new 10,000l tank to maintain consistent water flow during outages.
“By replacing the tank and repairing leaks, we’ve made sure that Edward Matyeka Primary can maintain a steady flow of water,” said Juqu.
“This is essential for the well-being of learners and staff and ensures the school’s facilities can operate without constant water-related disruptions.”
Principal of Edward Matyeka Primary, Mandla Mashaba, expressed his gratitude.
“This improvement has been a game-changer for our school we no longer have to worry about water shortages disrupting our daily activities.”
Juqu explained that things were a bit different at Siyanqoba Secondary as the school has no municipal water access and relies solely on borehole water.
“While the school already had a system of five 5,000l JoJo tanks, it was not well-engineered.”
The tanks were only connected at the bottom, with no supply line linking them at the top, which prevented the tanks from filling fully and led to frequent pump failures.
Engen intervention
Engen stepped in to address these issues by installing a 5,000l holding tank, adding a 2.2kW centrifugal pump, and implementing top-level connections between the tanks, allowing them to fill properly and enabling a consistent water flow.
This solution has ensured that the school has a consistent water supply, crucial for its day-to-day functioning.
“Our intervention has created a sustainable water solution for Siyanqoba Secondary,” commented Juqu.
“By addressing the engineering flaws and enhancing the system’s capacity, we’ve ensured a steady water supply that the school can rely on.”
Principal of Siyanqoba Secondary, MrNtiwane thanked Engen for their support.
“The new system has brought much-needed relief,” he said.
“Our learners can now concentrate on their studies, and we no longer face debilitating water shortages and disruptions.”
Supporting the next generation
Olwethu Mdabula, Engen CSI manager said these interventions demonstrates our commitment to supporting the next generation by providing access to essential facilities.
“Engen is firmly committed to investing in sustainable development projects that deliver tangible value to the communities in which we operate,” he said.
“Through these improvements, we hope to make daily school life easier and healthier as well as restore the dignity of learners at these two schools.”
Edward Matyeka Primary and Siyanqoba Secondary School are both located close to the Engen Emalahleni Terminal.
Both schools have been adopted by the company and earlier this year, the two schools benefited from Engen’s winter campaign, which provided 50 learners from each school, and 700 learners nationwide, with new school shoes and winter woollies.
