FEMALE CONTRACTOR COMPLETES WORLD-CLASS HEALTH FACILITY
- themarathonnews03
- Dec 8, 2025
- 2 min read
By: Staff Reporter
Premier Letsoha-Mathae’s advocacy for more women contractors has been validated.
The successful completion of the Borwa Clinic, a state-of-the-art health facility in Tweespruit, by a woman-led construction company, strongly supports the Premier’s viewpoint.
“Women contractors should be given the same opportunities as men, not just because they are women, but because they are competent and qualified,” stated Premier Letsoha-Mathae.
Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae has been a steadfast advocate for women’s leadership and development.
Even before her role as MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport, she consistently encouraged women to pursue leadership roles and break free from gender stereotypes. She has repeatedly urged women to enter key economic sectors, particularly the construction industry, asserting that women, like men, are capable of delivering significant infrastructure projects such as roads, schools, clinics, and hospitals.
Matlakala Radebe, the lead contractor for the Borwa Clinic project, exemplifies this.
A Bloemfontein-born Quantity Surveyor with 13 years of industry experience and a proud graduate of the University of the Free State, Radebe successfully led the project to completion on schedule.
Deputy Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla commended her outstanding work, noting that her timely delivery debunked the persistent myth that government infrastructure projects are inherently inefficient.
If she wasn’t well-known before, the Borwa Clinic project has certainly brought Radebe into the limelight.
“My greatest satisfaction is seeing the joy on people’s faces, the broad smiles, the hope, and the excitement within the community. For me, that is priceless,” said Radebe.
The journey to completing Borwa Clinic was not without challenges.
The project team had to overcome longstanding water supply issues in the area and problems related to land allocation at various stages.
Despite these hurdles, Radebe navigated with resilience, professionalism, and exceptional leadership to deliver this much-needed facility to the residents of Tweespruit.
Her performance not only supports the Premier’s call for more women to be entrusted with major projects but also showcases the capability and excellence of local contractors, particularly women.
Radebe says she is already focusing on new opportunities.
“I’m working on a few new projects already and preparing to deliver them with the same diligence,” she added.
Contractor Development remains a key government policy aimed at enhancing the skills of emerging contractors through both practical and theoretical training.
Many developing contractors have benefited from this program, and there are ongoing calls for higher-grade contractors to mentor and partner with lower-grade firms, especially women-owned entities, to strengthen their capacity and help them qualify for larger projects.
Across the province, women contractors have played significant roles in infrastructure projects, including school refurbishments, road improvements, and hostel upgrades.
“We must intentionally use the government’s fiscal power not only to develop women but also to ensure they become significant economic players,” said Premier Letsoha-Mathae.
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