Shirley Kotzè from Standerton cares deeply for children
What gets her goat up is negativity and racism and those individuals intent on spreading rumours.
Shirley Kotzè, known as Aunty Shirley, a familiar name in pre-school academic circles, has been managing her academy for three years and the pre-school for 14 years.
Altogether 210 youngsters at the academy and 180 at the pre-school are under her wing.
Shirley and her late husband, Richard, left Norton in Zimbabwe on August 7, 2001, with six boxes, three vehicles, a boat and a trailer from Harare to settle in Standerton.
Richard passed away due to kidney failure on June 12 this year.
“He was the love of my life,” Shirley reminisced.
“At 19 years, I knew he was the right person for me.”
The couple met in Mongwe on a fishing trip and tied the knot in Kwe-Kwe at St Stephen’s Church in 1994.
The Kotzès were farming with pedigree cattle, sorghum and mealies in the neighbouring country.
A letter at the gate in times of political unrest in Zimbabwe ordered them to leave within 24 hours.
They managed to sell the farm and left in the evening to be sure they reached the border at Beit Bridge at 06:00.
Richard’s sister, the late Lorraine Bertrand, was staying in Standerton and within three weeks, a woman they hardly knew found a job for him.
He was a qualified fitter and turner. Shirley is a South African citizen and only returned to Zimbabwe in 2006 for her father’s funeral.
She attended college in Harare and attended Pinetown Girls High and Wentworth High School in Boksburg.
The Kotzès had no children, but Shirley has photographs of some children who passed through her hands on her office wall.
“I am blessed with everyone else’s kids,” she said.
Dan Brown and Harry Potter were spotted on the bookshelf of this devout Christian, who also loves the novels of Francine Rivers.
The dwindling numbers of the Methodist Church in town is a source of worry to her. The church does not have a minister at this stage. She has, on occasion, been attending another denomination.
ALSO READ: Celebrating Women’s Month with a warrior mother from Kinross
What gets her goat up is negativity and racism and those individuals intent on spreading rumours.
This widow admitted she had to come to terms with the death of Richard, who suffered towards the end.
“It is a trying time,” Shirley said.
Her Yorkie, Muis, present at the interview, is the school mascot.
Shirley believes in giving praise when it is due and encouraging those doing good work. Some of the children have not forgotten their formative years and still contact her.
“God will always point you in the right direction,” she said with conviction.
