Mayor back to school for the day

THERE were smiles and cheers from children when they saw Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba arrive to perform some of his Mandela Day activities at their daycare centre.

Just as Mashaba walked into the early childhood development centre (ECDC) called Greener Pasture Day Care Centre, the little ones greeted him with songs, delighted to see him.

Mashaba gave the children presents and puzzles and then did his bit in helping to renovate the centre by using a paintbrush to spruce up a wall.

Mashaba said he was momentarily taken aback when the youngsters sang the national anthem because it reminded him of the days when he was as little as they are now.

He said the country had come a long way since the days of apartheid when things “of this nature would have not been done in the name of Mandela”.

Mashaba also helped the cooks of the centre by dishing out food. He said that when it came to education, the country had failed the youth, particularly black people, but his office would intervene through various ECDCs.

“The centres should not be about parents leaving their children to go to work. They should be a learning environment, and that’s why it is important to get the necessary accreditation,” said Mashaba.

He added that he would be working with the MMC for Health and Social Development, Dr Mpho Phalatse, in supplying better learning tools to ECDCs.

Rose Shabangu, the principal of the daycare centre, said she was humbled by the mayor’s visit and also by him having helped to paint the walls, which had been peeling badly.

Shabangu said she was surprised because she had learnt about the visit only two days earlier.

She added that she dreamt of one day opening up an orphanage for children who had lost their parents to HIV/Aids.

Centres should be a learning environment