Ivanplats launch free WiFi hotspots for communties

Limpopo, South Africa - Ivanplats proudly hosted Youth Day on 16 June 2017 at Mahwelareng stadium in Mokopane.
Dr Patricia Makhesha, Managing Director of Ivanplats announced the launch of the Maru a Mokopane digital communication system at this event: “The month of June marks the National Youth month on the South African calendar and it reminds us of how the Youth of 1976 fought for knowledge and information to be empowered during the Soweto uprising. Today, at Ivanplats we are embracing the fact that our youth remains at the core of our country’s liberation and one of the most important means to assist them in achieving success is access to information. Hence our pride in launching Maru A Mokopane.”
Maru a Mokopane (Sepedi for The Clouds of Mokopane) is an innovative, new digital system to engage with and empower the youth in Ivanplats’ host communities surrounding Ivanplat’s Platreef underground mine development project. Ivanplats has been on the forefront of stakeholder engagement and micro enterprise development in the mining industry in South Africa through the implementation of this digital communication system.
Maru a Mokopane is a digital communication system that can be used by people living in Mokopane, Limpopo, to learn more about Ivanplats and get access to the internet for free. The system has three components:

- Eight free wi-fi hotspots in Ivanplats’ host communities;

- The Maru a Mokopane web-based application which serves as a portal to access the wi-fi at the hotspots as well as information about Ivanplats.
- Free digital training provided by micro-enterprises to train residents in how to access and use Maru a Mokopane.
Kgoshi LV Kekana, the traditional leader of the host communities surrounding the Platreef project, said of the Maru a Mokopane system: ‘Today we celebrate the fact that our young people can be part of the digital world. I am happy that young people in my communities now have access to information through the internet that can help them access important sources for their studies, search for jobs, bursaries and other opportunities. Knowledge is power and through the Maru a Mokopane portal my people are empowered".
Ivanplats is committed to provide the residents in its host communities with relevant information about the development of the Platreef Project as well as bridging the digital divide to provide access to online information about education, employment and entrepreneurship. The Maru a Mokopane web-based application can be accessed from all devices with a browser and has the following components:

- Information about employment, development and procurement opportunities at Ivanplats;
- Community news;
- A free online local business directory;
- A messaging system to communicate with Ivanplats;
- A section where third party information about education, employment and
entrepreneurship can be accessed for free.
- A section where each user of the Maru a Mokopane system in Mokopane gets
300MB of data per day to use the internet.
Maru a Mokopane web-based application is a registration-based platform which ensures the privacy and confidentiality of both the users and the company. The Youth Day celebrations hosted by Ivanplats included a career exhibition, science, technology, engineering and mathematic games, training sessions in a variety of subjects related to business and education as well as food and entertainment by the South African star King Monada and TV celebrity Rami Chuene.