Throughout the duration of the Droogfontien Solar Power project, a number of community projects will be run within the local communities. These projects will be focused within a 50km radius of the solar farm.
Socio-economic development initiatives promote access to the economy for all people.
These programmes will continue for the 20 year life of the project and will focus on local communities in Kimberley, Riverton, Ritchie and Barkly West.
Four percentage of the Droogfontein Solar Power is owned by Trust Letsatsi Borutho, which is significantly higher that the government’s minimum threshold of 2,5% local ownership.
To finance its share of the cost of constructing the project, the trust secured a loan from the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA). The loan will be repaid through the shareholder dividends generated by the project and once repaid the trust will use its share of the dividends to benefit the local community within 50km of the project.
During construction, Droogfontein Solar Power provided employment opportunities to as many as 450 people, the majority of whom were from the local community.
In addition, many indirect jobs were be created or sustained at local manufacturers and suppliers through the project and its contractor’s procurement of goods and services from the local community.
Now in operation, Droogfontien Solar Power provides long-term employment for 20 people to operate and maintain the plant.
