Former Bosasa youth centre gets R138 million facelift by Western Cape government | News24

MEC for Social development Jaco Londt and MEC for Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers in one of the new classrooms at the Horizon centre. (Supplied/Western Cape Department of Social Development)

• The Horizon Secure Care Centre in the Western Cape, previously owned by Bosasa, has reopened after a major refurbishment funded by the provincial government.
• Over the past two years, the social development department has invested R138 million in upgrades including classrooms, halls, a computer lab and living units.
• Horizon is one of seven Child and Youth Care Centres in the province, catering to at-risk youth who have committed crimes or who have behavioural problems.

One of the youth centres formerly owned by Bosasa in the Western Cape has officially reopened.

Over the last two years, the provincial social development department has renovated the Horizon Secure Care Centre and invested R138 million.

This facility is one of seven secure Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs), owned and managed by the provincial department, for at-risk youth who have committed crimes or who have behavioural problems.

On Tuesday, the department unveiled its refurbishments to stakeholders. 

MEC for Social Development Jaco Londt said these upgrades were in line with international norms and standards.

“I am hopeful that these upgrades will continue to have a meaningful impact on Horizon’s residents, staff, and visitors. We want to see more residents leave here with renewed hope and a commitment to being positive agents of change in their communities,” he said. 

In 2019, 10 Bosasa youth development centres across the country ceased operations after liquidators for the company, now known as African Global Operations, sent notice to stop rendering services.

READ | The real ramifications of ‘Bosasa Gate’

Bosasa was put into liquidation in 2019 after receiving billions in government contracts and paying hundreds of millions in bribes.

The Zondo Commission into State Capture labelled the affairs of Bosasa as “corruption on an industrial scale”.

Two of the centres, Horizon and Clanwilliam CYCCs, were taken over by the provincial government. 

Since 2010, the department has accommodated over 29 000 children and youth in its CYCCs.

Five of these facilities specifically accommodate children in the criminal justice system.

The latest upgrades at the facility included refurbished living units, five additional classrooms, a visitation hall, a multi-purpose hall, facilities for vocational skills training such as a computer lab, a woodwork workshop and an art room, and storage rooms.

MEC for Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers said: “These upgrades are not just about bricks and mortar: they represent our commitment to providing a safe and supportive environment for our youth. By investing in facilities that meet international standards, we are ensuring that every young person at Horizon Secure Care Centre can thrive and build a better future.”