By Palesa Mofoti
The Kumba Iron Ore handed over Lebelelang Disability Centre to the people of the Tsantsabane, Postmanburg on the 12th of September 2025. Amongst the dignitaries was the Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe, Mayor of Tsantsabane Local Municipality Helen English, Premier of the Northern Cape Dr. Zamani Saul, Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks, MEC of Social Development Nontobeko Vilakazi, CEO of Kumba Iron Ore Nompumelelo Zikalala and AssMang Beeshoek Ceo Andre Joubert.
This handover is part of the ongoing commitment by Kumba Iron Ore as one of the many Social Labour Plans (SLP’s) of creating safe and inclusive spaces for people. “Our purpose is simple at Kumba it is for us to reimagine mining and improve people’s lives”, Zikalala said.
In addition to the centre, the White City Library also in the Tsantsabane region is another SLP that will serve as gap to bridge the digital divide and serve as a literacy hub for the community. The Sol Plaatje University has also come onboard to help bring tertiary education closer to the people and this learning centre is to the value of R28 million. “It will be handed over soon” Zikalala added.
The Lebelelang Disability Centre was established in 2005 by Precious Seleka. From humble beginnings operating in a community hall, relying on donations from supermarkets, churches and sometimes parents. It now stands on a former waste site as a beacon of hope for the community of Tsantsabane. It offers a safe dignified environment that stimulates physical, mental and social development for people living with disabilities. The centre welcomes all persons with disabilities from the ages of 0-59 years. With an ECD centre (0-6) and skills development workshop to those between the ages of 18-59 years. The centre also provides designed medical care such as Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy to those with severe intellectual and physical disabilities.
The building project of the Lebeleleng centre has created 83 jobs in the Tsantsabane Municipality. They also received a hefty R26 million contribution from Kumba Iron Ore for the building of the centre, AssMang Beeshoek who contributed R3.5 million, Lesedi Solar who generously contributed solar panels to the centre and the NDA who contributed R58 000.
Minister Mantashe urged mining companies to make meaningful and impactful contributions in the mining towns, to build schools, clinics and fencing of agricultural land.
“This centre is not only a Tsantsabane victory, it’s a provincial milestone” Mayor English said.
The Lebelelang centre also got an additional R2 million in donations, R1million from Kumba Iron Ore, R500000 from AssMang and a yearly donation pledge of R531 115,32 from the Department of Social Development.
Ellen Seboko Chairperson of Lebelelang Disability Centre in an emotional state expressed her gratitude “I am very thrilled, I am happy I am emotional, because we come from humble beginnings. This is a bright future for my children”.
In addition, Zikalala also reiterated that the magnitude of this project has resulted in other stakeholder’s eagerness to form part of it, Sports Arts and Culture to build a sports facility and Department of agriculture wants to come onboard to build a garden for the centre too.
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