‘Use your brains’

Alexandra’s own son of the soil in government came out guns blazing in his condemnation of a number of social ills currently plaguing the country.

Dikobe Ben Martins, Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises, lashed out at communities who go out in protest to demand the construction of a road but instead turn out and burn a clinic or demand the building of a clinic and in the process burn down their schools, during his address at Eskom Development Foundation’s Simama Ranta Schools Entrepreneurship Education Competition.

“What has the school or clinic got to do with your demand for construction of a new road? You’re only taking yourselves backwards as the government will eventually construct the road you’re demanding and, after many years, come back to rebuild that school or clinic you torched.

“In the years leading up to and during the construction of the road, you will either have to do without a school for your children or the clinic for the sick in the community. Don’t you think this is taking yourselves backwards in demand for the building of more infrastructure?” Martins asked.

He urged communities to ‘jealously guard and defend our

schools, our clinics and other infrastructural projects which benefit everyone in our communities’. “We should not allow thugs to break into the schools and steal our computers and other school equipment. We cannot emphasise our need for a road by burning a clinic. That’s not on and it should stop forthwith.”

The deputy minister urged communities to learn to articulate their needs for other infrastructural projects. “I hope and trust this message is loud and clear for all of us to understand.”

Turning to a direct message to the girl child, Martins said they need to complete matric without falling pregnant, saying there is no [room] for a child with a child in our education system.

“If you fall pregnant, your mother or father may not be able to look after you and your child. You too will experience a lot of inhibitions and limitations when you have a child. Education gives the girl child independence and freedom from being dependent on a man,” he said.

To the boy child, Martins urged them not to do drugs and alcohol, “As the constant kissing of this beer bottle amounts to also kissing your future goodbye. Stay away from drugs and alcohol.”

Details: Chris Bornman 011 800 2758; chris.bornman@eskom.co.za

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