Janette Bennett

Drowning is a major cause of death in South Africa, where far too many people cannot swim, writes Janette Bennett A howling wind is bringing rain. It’s cold. But that does not stop these teachers from learning how to teach children to swim. As their coach, German swimming champion Jens Stroh-meyer, puts them through their […]

If the schools can’t come to the museums, the museums will go to the schools, writes Janette Bennett In the Eastern Cape, most of the 6 000-plus schools are nowhere near a museum. Culture officials, concerned that the stories kept alive in the museums would never reach the children of the province, decided to do […]

HIV/Aids Q&A Researchers believe that HIV infection reaches a peak during December. Many people go on holiday, more alcohol is consumed and safe-sex standards fall. At present around 2 000 South Africans are infected with HIV each day. More than 700 die of Aids each day. More than 7 000 babies die of Aids each […]

Two principals are bridging a chasm far wider than the Buffalo River valley that separates their schools, writes Janette Bennett George Randell Primary principal Hilton Williams drives from his school in the elite suburbs of East London to the informal settlements in which Duncan Village Public School is located. Duncan Village Public principal Clifford Nquka […]

Business responded to Nelson Mandela’s call to help build schools in the Eastern Cape, but what has become of these noble efforts? Janette Bennett reports When Nelson Mandela asks for help to build schools in South Africa’s poorest province, few mortals can refuse. Irresistibly, Mandela attracted funding for rural schools in the former Transkei homeland, […]

The community of an Eastern Cape school have worked miracles, writes Janette Bennett You won’t know you have found Sandi Senior Secondary School. There is no sign at the gate, and it looks like any other school in the deepest rural areas of South Africa. Like the others, Sandi, perched on a hill with a […]