City warders serve 1 000 pupils soup

PUPILS at !Xhunkwesa Combined School in Platfontein were on Friday treated to a hot cup of soup by officials from Correctional Services in Kimberley as part of Mandela Month celebrations.

The manager of Special Programmes at the Department of Correctional Services, Bertha Baloyi, said that they also donated sanitary towels to female pupils at the school.

Baloyi said that the programme is part of commemorating the legacy of Madiba.

“We served more than 1 000 pupils soup during their lunch break. We also donated bedding we received from guest houses to the pupils. Correctional Services officials donate R10 every Friday to the programme and the funds are used to assist various organisations or schools. This is the little way we try to bring change in our communities,” said Baloyi.

She added that the programme, which was launched last year, has borne many fruitful results.

“We have been reaching out to schools in Galeshewe, where we donated school supplies and also revamped a library at one of the schools. We are planning on assisting a school in Greenpoint next year. This is also to echo the message of Madiba on the importance of caring for our children as well as implanting a passion for education within them,” she said.

The department last week also donated toiletries and other supplies to Bophelo Child and Youth Care Centre in Beaconsfield as part of its Mandela Month initiative.