MOPANI: MEC Makamu urges businessmen to give back to communities
The MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development in Limpopo, Basikopo Makamu, has called on more businessmen, especially funeral parlours to give back to the communities where they are doing business.
Makamu was speaking at N’wamankena village where he handed over a cemetery ablution facility built by a local businessman on Saturday.
The facility was built by Trevor Rikhotso of Nghanghana Construction as a donation to the community of N’wamankena and Chudu in the Greater Giyani Municipality.
Rikhotso said he became worried when he saw the elderly citizens and women having to use bushes to relieve themselves during funeral proceedings at the graveyard.
“We did this to restore the dignity of our mothers.
We are not a big company, but we felt that with the little that we have we should give back to our communities by building this facility,” said Rikhotso.
The company also donated cleaning equipment and R10 000 to a group of women volunteers who will clean the ablution facility and the cemetery precinct.
Speaking at the event, Makamu lauded the donation by Nghanghana Construction, saying “Trevor Rikhotso of Nghanghana Construction has heeded the Thuma Mina call by providing the community of N’wamankena with a fully-fledged cemetery ablution facility.
The icon of our struggle for freedom and democracy, Dr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is surely beaming with a giant smile as he watches over what the community of N’wamakena is about to receive.”
Makamu urged funeral parlours to assist government in building ablution facilities in communities where they do business.
“Work together as funeral undertakers and give back to these communities.
Identify cemeteries and build something similar to what Nghanghana has built for the community of N’wamankana. Imagine a South Africa teeming with patriotic business people like Rikhotso.
We will roll back the frontiers of poverty, inequality and unemployment in no time. Our country can be a great country that is able to provide for its citizens,” he said.
Chief Hlaneki also praised Rikhotso for his generosity. “If a person is educated but is not able to use his education to better the lives of his community, then that education is useless.
We appreciate that you are prepared to share the little that you have with this community of N’wamankena and Chudu,” said Hlaneki.
