Iron-ore miner Kumba Iron Ore has handed over the Lebelelang Centre community development project to the Tsantsabane community in Postmasburg, in the Northern Cape.

The handover ceremony on September 12 was attended by Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, Social Development Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks and Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul, alongside community leaders, municipal partners and development stakeholders.

Kumba’s social projects, rolling out as a part of the company’s social labour plans (SLPs), deliver community upliftment, create safe and inclusive spaces for people with disabilities, improve access to essential health services and bring literacy and skills development closer to home.

The initiatives build on the previous delivery of sports and recreation facilities, as well as critical road and water infrastructure, which are already strengthening community pride, mobility and resilience in surrounding communities.

“What matters most is not the buildings themselves, but how they serve and uplift the people of Tsantsabane. Our role is to walk alongside the community, ensuring that our investments support education, inclusion and opportunity where they are needed most.”

“These projects are a testament to what is possible when business, government, partners and communities work together. They show the power of partnerships in delivering facilities that respond directly to community needs and create long-lasting impact,” Kumba CEO Mpumi Zikalala said.

“This is . . . about social projects that you are completing to change the image of mining companies. Rather than being known for digging a hole in the ground, [mining companies] display a humane face, leading in communities, making a difference in communities.”

“I wanted to come and see this project as it was built in the community, for the community and has a meaningful impact on people’s lives here in the community. Social labour plans help us realise potential of mining,” Mantashe said.

Kumba’s community investments include the Lebelelang Centre, expanded through collaboration with the Tsantsabane local municipality, Assmang Beeshoek, Lesedi Solar, the National Development Agency, and the Department of Social Development. The project saw the transformation of a former waste dumping site into a safe, inclusive space that empowers persons with disabilities and has created 83 jobs.

Similarly, the White City Library, will serve as a hub for literacy, digital access, and future tertiary learning through a Sol Plaatje University partnership.

The two facilities are just two examples that form part of Kumba’s ongoing commitment to community development within a much broader programme.

This includes investments in inclusive sports infrastructure across the Sishen area, as well as essential road and water projects delivered in partnership with local municipalities.

“At Kumba . . . mining is just one part of a broader story. In the first half of 2025, Kumba invested R135-million in social initiatives, creating 670 jobs and supporting over 10 000 learners,” Zikalala said.