Kariega – On 6 December 2013, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) officially opened a sports, recreational and community facility for the benefit of its employees, their loved-ones and the larger community. The R30-million VW PeoplePavilion was built to ultimately create a sense of belonging and engagement for VWSA employees in Kariega.
Now, 10 years later, the PeoplePavilion has not only fulfilled this legacy but has become an important fixture in the community of Kariega. Over R3,5 million has been invested in the past 10 years to ensure the facility remains a state-of-the-art centre for visitors.
Since its opening up until 30 November 2023, the facility has welcomed 1 029 168 visitors, of which 59 613 were in the first 11 months of 2023. In its 10 years, the PeoplePavilion – which boasts a multipurpose hall, a clubhouse, sports fields and a fully-equipped gym for its employees and their loved-ones – has hosted 1 867 events, ranging from wedding receptions to birthday parties and fundraisers.
Meanwhile, the gym has received 259 761 visitors in its time, while the sports fields have been used frequently by various sports teams from the VWSA workforce, with sports such as netball, soccer, cricket, baseball, volleyball and Judo among the codes on offer to employees.
The PeoplePavilion also celebrated a significant milestone earlier this year, when it welcomed its 1-millionth visitor, Elvida Klue, in June.
“From the outset, the VW PeoplePavilion was intended to enrich the lives of our employees and their loved-ones by offering them support in living a healthy, active lifestyle and providing a recreational space for them,” said Andile Dlamini, Head: Group Communications at VWSA. “I am happy to say that we have succeeded in this mandate in the past 10 years, and we plan to continue doing so in future as well. The PeoplePavilion team can be proud of making a meaningful contribution to our workforce over the past decade.”
