Remarks by Premier DD Mabuza at kitchen handover to Tsembaletfu Primary School, Kabokweni Township, Mbombela Local Municipality
21 July 2011
Programme Director,
Members of the Executive Council
Representatives of Local Government
Our friends from the business sector
Distinguished Guests
Teachers and Scholars from the Tsembaletfu Primary School
I am happy to be here with you on the occasion of the
‘kitchen handover’ to Tsembaletfu Primary School.
We are delighted that our promise to you has indeed become
a reality.
Tsembaletfu Primary School received a gold prize and also became an
overall Winner in the 2010 Annual
Premier’s Service Excellence Awards.
These Awards we hold every year to celebrate excellence in
the Public Sector in our province. They are aimed at identifying
those institutions that are implementing the Batho Pele principles, thereby
improving service delivery and making an impact in their local communities to
such an extent that it creates a better life for all.
Once again we wish to express heartfelt congratulations to
the management team at the school and all the teachers for their hard work. To
all the scholars we also thank you for providing an example to many others how
through partnership we can create a harmonious learning environment in any part
of our province.
Programme Director,
This event comes as we near the end of a momentous week
for our province.
You will recall that on Monday 18 July, we all
participated in marking Mandela Day through activities aimed at benefitting
others.
It is in the spirit of Mandela Day that at the Premier’s
Golf Charity Tournament we received pledges towards the school from the
corporate sector.
It is indeed certainly pleasing to note that this handover
would not be taking place without an appreciation of the contribution of our
corporate friends, SAB Miller, Standard Bank, Emnotweni Sun Hotel, and KwaMhlaba
Connect.
To them we say ‘ningadinwa nangomuso’- An idiom expressing
our hope for your readiness to assist again in the future.
The partnership with the private sector to provide a
better education for our children is one that I will particularly cherish.
This is not only because of my previous life as a teacher
but also because I know how important education is for us to improve the quality
of life for many of our people.
Yesterday we had the honour of hosting Minister Manuel and
some of his commissioners from the National Planning Commission at Marapyane
College in Dr JS Moroka local Municipality.
One of the findings is that the quality of public
education remains poor despite our many interventions.
We clearly have a lot to do.
Once again, let me express our congratulations to
Tsembaletfu Primary School and our gratitude to our partners in the corporate
sector who are playing their part as good corporate citizens.
