Date: 05/03/2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Opening of Mnyakanya Secondary School, KwaZulu-Natal
ADDRESS BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA, AT THE OPENING OF MNYAKANYA SECONDARY SCHOOL, Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, 5 March 2004
Former President Mandela
The Minister of Home Affairs, Shenge, and Amakhosi AseNdlunkulu wonke akhona
Honourable Ministers of Public Works and Minerals and Energy
Provincial Ministers present
Chairman of Goldfields, Mr Tokyo Sexwale
Representatives of Telkom and MTN
Dr Frank Mdlalose and Trustees of the Jacob Zuma RDP Education Trust
Principal of Mnyakanya, Lucas Dube
Parents, educators and learners
Umphakathi wonke waseNkandla.
It is with jubilation that I stand here today to celebrate the completion of the phase two and three of Mnyakanya High School, and these outstanding improvements in educational facilities in this school.
It has always been our priority that all children in our country particularly those residing in deep rural areas should receive the best education, and study in the best facilities.
This is fortunately a dream we share with many people from all walks of life, hence the contributions we have received for the improvement of facilities in this school, and indeed other schools in this area.
Over the years, the Principal of Mnyakanya, Mr Lucas Dube, appealed to us for assistance to improve the learning conditions. I was particularly interested in this request because I know the yearning and hope of many parents in this area for their children to receive better education.
Education is the only thing that gives poor people hope that one day their lives could change for the better. Knowing the dream of many parents in Inkandla, I then made an earnest appeal to our father and icon, Madiba, to assist. As always, he responded positively, and set out to search for help, and found a positive response from Gold Fields.
The construction of this school has had a huge positive impact on the local community as approximately 100 people participated directly and found employment opportunities, and were empowered in bricklaying, blockmaking and carpentry skills.
The entire Ehlanzeni today now boasts, among other things, a laboratory, library, an administration block and school capacity has doubled from 12 to 24. We sincerely thank Gold Fields for coming to the party and assisting in this manner.
We also acknowledge the generosity of the Telkom Foundation for the sponsorship the Science Laboratory kit for grade 10 and 12, and the MTN Foundation for providing a fully equipped computer centre.
This response from the private sector, indicates once again, the strength of public-private partnerships in our country, and the manner in which this enables us to work together to improve the quality of life of all.
This investment will surely yield returns, as these young leaders who will be produced by this school, will contribute to the development of our country.
This celebration today also indicates that the private sector and government share the goal of promoting sustainable rural development. We believe children residing in the countryside need not have to move to urban areas to find a decent education.
Through working in this area, we have found that anyone can make a difference in the lives of children, through contribution in many ways, including payment of school fees. Where such opportunities have been made available, the children and educators have responded with hard work. Amatholamnyama High School is a shining example, where almost 60% of the pupils are funded through the Jacob Zuma RDP Education trust, and it has produced a 100% pass two years in succession.
I want to pose a challenge to the principal of Mnyakanya that from today the expectations of entire community of Inkandla have been raised.
With all these modern facilities available to the school, we expect the quality of the results to improve. These facilities should also allow teachers to improve their skills and help neighbouring schools who do not have access to these resources at their schools.
The opening of this school also provides an opportunity for us to pay tribute to our stalwart and tower of strength, a true liberator, a fighter for freedom and a father of our nation, a man who dedicated his entire life to peace and the improvement of the human condition.
We are honoured and humbled to have you in our midst Madiba. You have transcended almost all person-made boundaries in the pursuit of freedom, liberty and a better life for all. For you, no human being is greater than the other. All are equal. The whole country appreciates the fact that although you officially retired, you have continued to work tirelessly to improve people's lives.
In only a few years since retirement, Madiba has helped build more than 140 schools in some of the most rural and disadvantaged areas of South Africa.
Mnyakanya Secondary stands as a recipient of this great generosity and adds to the number of your landmarks. The local community of Inkandla have also benefited from your generosity when you donated R1 million 4 years ago to the Jacob Zuma RDP Education Trust. Almost every year Tata, the trust is able to fund more than 3 thousand orphans to access primary and secondary education. About 50 students are assisted at the tertiary education level.
There are other schools, which the Trust has assisted to get sponsorships from different companies, such as Amatholamnyama High School, which has been funded by the Eskom Foundation, who are paying for a fully-fledged computer centre, building a science laboratory and providing science kits and four additional classrooms. Emthungweni High School have been adopted by Pick 'n Pay and Kwazikwakhe Primary School by Tsogo Sun.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is our view that the physical conditions of a school environment have a profound impact not only on the quality of educational outcomes, but also on forging links between schools and the communities in which they reside.
In building or improving these schools therefore, the private sector is contributing to the creation of centres of excellence in learning and teaching.
I must therefore, once again, thank Gold Fields, the Telkom Foundation and the MTN Foundation for the investment in education they have made here.
It is now up to the children here to take forward Madiba's vision, and become even better leaders of our society.
I hope these new facilities will spur them to greater heights and that they will use the knowledge and skills acquired here to further improve the quality of life of their communities.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
5 March 2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Opening of Mnyakanya Secondary School, KwaZulu-Natal
ADDRESS BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA, AT THE OPENING OF MNYAKANYA SECONDARY SCHOOL, Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, 5 March 2004
Former President Mandela
The Minister of Home Affairs, Shenge, and Amakhosi AseNdlunkulu wonke akhona
Honourable Ministers of Public Works and Minerals and Energy
Provincial Ministers present
Chairman of Goldfields, Mr Tokyo Sexwale
Representatives of Telkom and MTN
Dr Frank Mdlalose and Trustees of the Jacob Zuma RDP Education Trust
Principal of Mnyakanya, Lucas Dube
Parents, educators and learners
Umphakathi wonke waseNkandla.
It is with jubilation that I stand here today to celebrate the completion of the phase two and three of Mnyakanya High School, and these outstanding improvements in educational facilities in this school.
It has always been our priority that all children in our country particularly those residing in deep rural areas should receive the best education, and study in the best facilities.
This is fortunately a dream we share with many people from all walks of life, hence the contributions we have received for the improvement of facilities in this school, and indeed other schools in this area.
Over the years, the Principal of Mnyakanya, Mr Lucas Dube, appealed to us for assistance to improve the learning conditions. I was particularly interested in this request because I know the yearning and hope of many parents in this area for their children to receive better education.
Education is the only thing that gives poor people hope that one day their lives could change for the better. Knowing the dream of many parents in Inkandla, I then made an earnest appeal to our father and icon, Madiba, to assist. As always, he responded positively, and set out to search for help, and found a positive response from Gold Fields.
The construction of this school has had a huge positive impact on the local community as approximately 100 people participated directly and found employment opportunities, and were empowered in bricklaying, blockmaking and carpentry skills.
The entire Ehlanzeni today now boasts, among other things, a laboratory, library, an administration block and school capacity has doubled from 12 to 24. We sincerely thank Gold Fields for coming to the party and assisting in this manner.
We also acknowledge the generosity of the Telkom Foundation for the sponsorship the Science Laboratory kit for grade 10 and 12, and the MTN Foundation for providing a fully equipped computer centre.
This response from the private sector, indicates once again, the strength of public-private partnerships in our country, and the manner in which this enables us to work together to improve the quality of life of all.
This investment will surely yield returns, as these young leaders who will be produced by this school, will contribute to the development of our country.
This celebration today also indicates that the private sector and government share the goal of promoting sustainable rural development. We believe children residing in the countryside need not have to move to urban areas to find a decent education.
Through working in this area, we have found that anyone can make a difference in the lives of children, through contribution in many ways, including payment of school fees. Where such opportunities have been made available, the children and educators have responded with hard work. Amatholamnyama High School is a shining example, where almost 60% of the pupils are funded through the Jacob Zuma RDP Education trust, and it has produced a 100% pass two years in succession.
I want to pose a challenge to the principal of Mnyakanya that from today the expectations of entire community of Inkandla have been raised.
With all these modern facilities available to the school, we expect the quality of the results to improve. These facilities should also allow teachers to improve their skills and help neighbouring schools who do not have access to these resources at their schools.
The opening of this school also provides an opportunity for us to pay tribute to our stalwart and tower of strength, a true liberator, a fighter for freedom and a father of our nation, a man who dedicated his entire life to peace and the improvement of the human condition.
We are honoured and humbled to have you in our midst Madiba. You have transcended almost all person-made boundaries in the pursuit of freedom, liberty and a better life for all. For you, no human being is greater than the other. All are equal. The whole country appreciates the fact that although you officially retired, you have continued to work tirelessly to improve people's lives.
In only a few years since retirement, Madiba has helped build more than 140 schools in some of the most rural and disadvantaged areas of South Africa.
Mnyakanya Secondary stands as a recipient of this great generosity and adds to the number of your landmarks. The local community of Inkandla have also benefited from your generosity when you donated R1 million 4 years ago to the Jacob Zuma RDP Education Trust. Almost every year Tata, the trust is able to fund more than 3 thousand orphans to access primary and secondary education. About 50 students are assisted at the tertiary education level.
There are other schools, which the Trust has assisted to get sponsorships from different companies, such as Amatholamnyama High School, which has been funded by the Eskom Foundation, who are paying for a fully-fledged computer centre, building a science laboratory and providing science kits and four additional classrooms. Emthungweni High School have been adopted by Pick 'n Pay and Kwazikwakhe Primary School by Tsogo Sun.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is our view that the physical conditions of a school environment have a profound impact not only on the quality of educational outcomes, but also on forging links between schools and the communities in which they reside.
In building or improving these schools therefore, the private sector is contributing to the creation of centres of excellence in learning and teaching.
I must therefore, once again, thank Gold Fields, the Telkom Foundation and the MTN Foundation for the investment in education they have made here.
It is now up to the children here to take forward Madiba's vision, and become even better leaders of our society.
I hope these new facilities will spur them to greater heights and that they will use the knowledge and skills acquired here to further improve the quality of life of their communities.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
5 March 2004
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