Learners perform Tsonga traditional dance in xibelani skirts at Muswanama Primary School.
In 2016 Sizeka Mthombeni organised his comrades in the ANC-led ward to spend their 67 Minutes for Mandela fixing the dilapidated Muswanama Primary School.
They managed to only replace a few broken windows due to lack of funding. But this week residents of the village were overjoyed when Khato Civils handed over the refurbished school to the community.
Principal Nakampe Mamarara says the company repainted three classroom blocks, replaced damaged ceilings, refurbished the kitchen where cooks prepare meals for learners as part of the school nutrition programme, and also levelled the sport field.
“Children and teachers will be motivated to work even harder now,” says a beaming Mamarara.
Mthombeni says the school is very important in that it allows young children to be educated closer to home and not walk long distances to seek education in other villages.
“We encourage our community to look after public property. We are against this culture of burning and destroying public property. Today you destroy a school and tomorrow you will still need it,” he says.
Mamarara says Khato Civils approached the school following recommendations from the Dzumeri Traditional Authority, which identified the school as critically in need of repairs.
Village induna Shadrack Zitha, a former pupil who later taught at the school until his retirement, says it is the first time in recent memory something of this sort has taken place here.
Zitha says the school was built by the community in 1959. When he studied there it was just a cluster of earth structures with thatch roofs. In 1972 part of the school collapsed, injuring a number of learners. The community then began rebuilding the school into the structure that still stands today.
“We really appreciate the good work by Khato Civils. The school looks good. In the past it looked really bad, and I was worried,” says Zitha.
Dzumeri councillor Moses Mahasha says the company has done a sterling job and called for more such public-private partnerships to help with service delivery, particularly in rural communities.
“We value their contribution — they have ploughed back into society, especially to leaders of tomorrow.”