The R165 million project at Hankey in the Eastern Cape that honours the memory of Sarah Baartman is nearly completed after a four-year delay.
Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa embarked on a site visit at the Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance construction site. This after the unrest of community members on delays in the project.
The aim of the centre was to boost the local economy, create jobs and honour the late Baartman.
Mthethwa says this project will assist to curb the high unemployment in the area.
“A project like this has been able to get 120 140 people working locally. It’s really better than nothing. It was never going to get the whole village as it were, but it’s making a meaningful contribution to job creation,” says Mthethwa.
Meanwhile, the community is positive that its concerns will be dealt with and that the centre will create jobs.
“There are many problems regarding the project and by the visit of the minister, we hope that each and every problem that is there is going to be solved.”
“This is a big project and it’s the first project of its kind in this area. And I believe, with this project, there will be more opportunities whereby people will be employed because most of us in this area depend on seasonal work,” says one of the community members.
