Kolomela says that it was guided by the company's purpose of reimagining mining to improve people's lives.

It commissioned a social impact assessment in 2019, which demonstrated that only 49% of residents of White City, and adjacent communities to the area, completed matric.

The fact that the community had no library meant that community members had to travel to the Boichoko or Postmasburg town for library services, according to Kolomela.

The team adds that this is the reason why, through consultation with the Tsantsabane municipality, it adopted the library concept into its social and labour plan.

Nestled in the heart of Newtown between a school and various early learning centres, the new library investment project is touted to improve literacy levels among community children. Kumba's chief executive Mpumi Zikalala, as well as the executive mayor of the Tsantsabane municipal area, officiated the sod-turning of what promises to be an iconic building.

Referring to the Northern Cape as home, CEO Zikalala says that Kumba values private-public partnerships to unlock shared value for both the organisation and communities.

"We believe through the work that we do, we can only say we are successful as a business if we can actually say that we are reimagining mining to improve lives," says Zikalala. "We believe that the library will contribute towards improving literacy and digital literacy of young people in the community."

Kumba adds that it remains committed through its supplier and enterprise development, as well as inclusive procurement initiatives, to build local prosperity. In line with this approach, the construction project has been assigned to a localised contractor called Visual Projects and Construction.

According to the mine, it promises to have many economic spinoffs.

The construction company, owned by local pastor Leonard Oss, has already invited local service providers to indicate interest in the rendering of tiling, paving paint and plastering services.

"I'm excited and privileged to be part of this project. I'm hailing from Newtown and am back now to deliver this project in cooperation with Kolomela," says Oss.

"At least 20 direct employment opportunities will be created for locals residing in the ward and further opportunities through the services of other local suppliers," concludes Oss. 

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