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.