This despite the Department of Tourism, in a statement from 2018, saying it had invited tenders to renovate the building. The building is intended to be utilised as the third hotel school in the province - in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District - to the tune of R13,7 million. 

During the oversight visit, the chairperson of the North West Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Tourism, Bitsa Lenkopane, lambasted the slow developments on hotel school projects in the province, including the progress at the aforementioned school.

Also read: Work set to commence at the controversial NW Orkney Hotel School

She said since the hand-over of the building structure in 2015, donated by Anglo Gold Ashanti, the project is still not operational whilst it remains a white elephant - which is costing the department more money due to the ageing infrastructure. Lenkopa says that “the infrastructure is full of hidden and unforeseen damages".

The department is yet to respond to OFM News' inquiry.

“There is rampant crime and vandalism in the area by Zama Zama’s; and delays in implementing the project resulting in cost escalations. Amongst some of the issues raised by the committee was that there are no operations taking place on the premises identified to build a hotel school in Orkney," she adds.

The hotel school is expected to develop and train young people in hotel administration, hospitality and many other courses related to the tourism industry.

Also read: DA seeks answers regarding non-operational hotel school

In 2018, the Democratic Alliance (DA) lambasted the department for the snail's pace at which the construction of the school took place since the hand-over of the building structure in 2015, which was donated by Anglo Gold Ashanti.

Then-party leader, Joe McGluwa, said the DA would stop at nothing in making sure that the school is up and running, with the hopes of creating more jobs for the unemployed of youth.

OFM News