500 000 Visitors Later

Uitenhage – In a massive milestone for Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA), the company’s PeoplePavilion recently welcomed its 500 000th visitor in just over 5 years.

The state of the art, employee-focused PeoplePavilion hit the 500 000 visitor mark early in April 2019 when it welcomed employee Linda Mhlaba to the facility. Mhlaba, who previously worked as an operator in production at the Uitenhage plant but currently works in the finance department, has been an avid member of the PeoplePavilion Gym since 2006.

Opened in December 2013, the R30-million sports, recreational, rehabilitation and community facility was built to benefit of all VWSA employees and their families. The facility operates 18 hours a day, with its main aim to create a sense of belonging and engagement for Volkswagen’s employees in Uitenhage.

“This milestone is proof of the success of the PeoplePavilion facility and its offerings. It is clear that the facility has been accepted and that it adds immense value to our staff, the Volkswagen family and the larger community of Uitenhage,” said Thomas Schaefer, Chairman and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group South Africa.

Since its opening, the PeoplePavilion has become a front-runner in the Uitenhage event space market. The popular Multi-Purpose Hall and Club House are almost fully booked for weddings, birthday celebrations and conferencing for 2019. The facility also recorded a landmark in November 2018, welcoming its 100 000th visitor for the year. The target for 2019 is to welcome just over 90 000 visitors to the facility.

The year ahead holds exciting new offers at the refurbished PeoplePavilion Gym, which already boasts over 2 200 members and 1 500 participants across various sporting codes. The new offerings include a Health Hub with a Body Composition Scale (which can be linked to an app that will allow members to monitor their progress), as well as a blood pressure monitoring service and fitness assessments.

“The wellness of our employees remains a priority for Volkswagen Group South Africa. Through the PeoplePavilion, the staff and their loved ones can maintain their good health in a convenient and well equipped setting, and have the opportunity to participate in the different sporting codes on offer. We aim to build on these important offerings in future, to the benefit of the VWSA family,” added Schaefer.