PPC builds a solid foundation one brick at a time with the national deparment of environmental affairs

PPC has partnered with the National Department of Environmental Affairs, Quantity Surveyors and Project Managers, Mathews & Associates (M&A)in implementing the NW-Augmentation of Naledi Local Municipality Landfill Site.The project is funded by the department through its Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programme (EPIP) to the tune of R12 million. 

The DEA is also providing support to the creation of waste management infrastructure such as a new cell, paving of the landfill site, provision of a weighbridge and waste sorting area were separation of recyclable material will be sorted. These initiatives will  maximize on socio-economic benefits through job creation,awareness and education through skills development.

M&A approached PPC to provide training for 120 workers in brick making, with the bricks produced to be used in the construction of the Naledi landfill site, which includes a landfill cell, a waste sorting area, a weighbridge, and paving and road works.

The project, which began in November2014, will run for a period of twelve months. Once completed, the brick making machines will be handed over to the Naledi Municipality (Vryburg) so it can continue the momentum by assisting and upskilling workers. This will empower the workers to build their small businesses through mentorship and training programmes, and access to the brick making machinery.

North West Area Manager, Marius Joubertsays, "If you look at the National Development Plan, one of the key ways to curbing unemployment is through skills development. This is a great example of public and private sector collaboration that comes together for a common goal: the future of South Africa. At PPC, we will be rolling out brick making courses across the country in 2015. This is just one of the ways we are playing our part."

Part of the agreementis to provide skills that allow workers from local communities, and who worked on the project, to start their own businesses once the project has been completed. With these skilsthey can build a better life for themselves, their families and the communities they live in.

George Mathews of Mathews & Associates says, "We identified PPC's brick making workshops as a great initiative that really falls in line with the focus of our project - teaching our beneficiaries how to make bricks and then using those bricks in the project itself." 

Mathews believes the best part is that the beneficiaries can start their own businesses in making and selling bricks to their communities, once the project is complete. To him PPC was the perfect partner since PPC has the expertise internally that allows them to offer these courses which are free to all PPC customers.

Marius Joubert PPC spokesperson says, "By giving people the skills they need to build a future for themselves, we are helping to build a stronger South Africa. As a concrete business, brick making is a skill that we can successfully pass on to thousands of people across the country every year, giving them a future to strive toward." 

PPC brings strength beyond the bag by making it easier for consumers to implement concrete into their lives. For more information on brick making, PPC has made a document available online called "A Sure Way To Make Bricks and Blocks - On ASmall Scale". This is a freely available resource guide to anyone looking to make bricks for their business, and gives details on the proper way to go about it, from making the bricks to selling them.http://bit.ly/1wUODuD

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