Mine donates kitchen

More than 1 300 pupils from Zinikeleni Secondary School are now served from a hygienic kitchen built and donated to the school by Vaalbult Mining Company in Carolina.
The kitchen is fitted with four gas burners, two pot sinks, one wash basin and two store rooms.
The donation is part of the mine’s Social Labour Plan and a contribution to the South African National Schools Nutrition Programme.

Executive Director Mr C. Mabudafhasi said they have adopted Zinikeleni as their school of focus and have identified several programmes to be implemented at the school with academics as their priority.

“The kitchen project culminated from our several visits to the school where we observed that the school was using a shack as their kitchen which we found to be unhygienic. We decided to put our hands together and build the school this modern kitchen structure and we’re still committed to other future programmes for the school,” said Mr Mabudafhasi.

School principal Mr Jimmy Nkosi was lost for words to describe their gratitude. He said the mine had always been there to support them, even where the Department of Education is lacking.

“Our teachers are also motivated to do more for the learners, as the mine offers some form of incentive to them for their participation in extra intervention programmes for the learners during school holidays,” said Mr Nkosi.
The school was also handed the electricity, gas installation and occupational certificates

Mr Nkosi cautioned the learners that they have no excuse to under-perform when they have this kind of support.
“It’s all there for you. All you have to do is focus and pay attention to your studies,” said Mr Nkosi.

The mine also donated 500 pairs of school shoes to needy learners in the Carolina Circuit last year and this year they offered a full bursary to a Grade 12 learner who obtained seven distinctions, but could not further her studies for financial reasons.

The learner is now studying medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand.