Mpumalanga restores rights of vulnerable on Human Rights Day

There is no better way to commemorate Human Rights Month than restoring the human dignity of the most vulnerable members of society – children, women and persons living with disabilities.

That is exactly how the Mpumalanga Provincial Government marked the 2013 Human Rights Day in Gert Sibande District when government reached out to Daggakraal and Vukuzakhe communities. 

Culture, Sport and Recreation MEC, Ms Sibongile Manana, who was accompanied by her Economic Development, Environment and Tourism and Human Settlements counterparts, Ms Pinky Phosa and Mr Andries Gamede respectively donated sport attire, spectacles, school uniform, wheelchairs, blankets, electrical appliances and garden tools (such as rakes, wheelbarrows, spades, hosepipes and grass scythes).

“We can now focus on looking after the children and not worry about cold weather ahead,” said Ms N Mdakane, who is the head of Sibathanda-Benje Stimulation Centre in Vukuzakhe, which caters for 23 disabled children. The centre received a fridge, gas stove, blankets and a cash donation of R104 400. Ms Mdakane and her staff were grateful for the gifts and asked the MECs to help them expand the centre so that they could help more children. Her pleas fell on the ears of the Executive Mayor for Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Municipality, Cllr Phalaborwa Malatjie, who promised to speed up the process of securing land.

Earlier, three women from Daggakraal, Ms Toshi Dlamini, Ms Elizabeth Nkosi and Ms Thandi Ngema received unexpected donations of blankets and garden tools. To which they responded, “We are delighted by the gesture shown by our government. The gifts will help us survive the upcoming winter and also help us prepare the land for farming.”

Needy school pupils from Phembindlela, Qhubulwazi and Zizameleni schools had a memorable March 21 when they received school uniforms and sport attire. The same could be said about the receipts of reading spectacles and wheelchairs – the majority of whom were the elderly.

This year was the 52nd anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre in which 69 people, who were protesting against the oppressive laws of the previous apartheid, were gunned down in cold blood. Since the dawn of democracy, government has set aside March as Human Rights Month to heighten its awareness on issues of human rights.