Make 16 June more meaningful

The young martyrs of the historic 16 June uprising should be commemorated through our daily support to less-privileged children’s education.

This plea is from the remaining member of three young Soweto students who in 1976, led thousands of others in boycotting an education system and igniting global condemnation and the demise of apartheid after the regime that had massacred them. “We were on a simple, peaceful march against the imposition of Afrikaans in an already debased system of Bantu Education.

“We were not aware that the repercussion would have global significance,” said Barney Mokgatle as this year’s commemoration draws to a close.

Mokgatle continues to carry that moment’s mandate albeit in changed circumstances. “Supporting poor children will remain a never-ending crusade,” was his fervent plea to society more so when an enabling Constitutional democracy and rights entitle everyone equal access to most if not all crucial aspects of life.

It is a priority task which motivates and brings to Mokgatle, flashbacks of that bloodbath. “Every year’s 16 June commemoration should, therefore, be of testimonies about commitments we fulfilled in whatever small or big way in aid of poor children.

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“The need is urgent and huge particularly in rural areas and township schools which are poorly resourced, parents have limited income and need encouragement to commit more to the education of their children.

“Like in private and suburban schools, they should all attend and contribute constructively at school meetings rather than leave all education responsibilities to the teachers.”

He urged that education no longer be left to the government with its huge expectations and competition for resources for social and economic transformation. “If society reneges, thousands of children with the potential to excel and be national assets and leaders will be left vulnerable and will fall through the cracks.”

His springboard is the nascent Barney Mokgatle Foundation based at his East Bank, Alex home. It receives requests for help from marginalised schools. “With support from like-minded partnerships, I simply hop into any form of transport to desperate communities, children and teachers who need the very basic items that are available in better-resourced communities like toilets, books, stationery, food, chairs, tables, halls and psycho-social services.”

He said this about his visits to the Eastern Cape, North West, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces. He commended the dedication of teachers who could have transferred to better environments saying they need motivation and hospitable facilities.

He mentioned equipment support, donated to a rural school for interactive learning with neighbouring ones, food supplied to

children at a farm school which was under threat of closure. “If we hadn’t lobbied the national department of education the children would by now have been denied education and turned into farm labourers.”

Metres from his home is Mc Weiler Primary School which needs a hall for mass meetings and protection against hostile weather. “Others in Alex struggle with substance abuse by children from eight years of age.

“They should be saved with urgency and order and conducive learning environment restored.”

He decried a local authority in the North West for charging another poor school about R7 000 for the use of its hall describing this as sabotage to education. In another one, the principal’s office appears in a picture like a cubicle. Other schools still have prefabricated material and an asbestos roof which are health hazards.

Mokhatle is still to visit schools in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape to fulfil the foundation’s national mandate.

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