Phalaborwa VW Crew drives change
The Phalaborwa VW Crew spent Youth Day weekend giving back, donating blankets and food, and revitalising public spaces.
PHALABORWA – Over the Youth Day long weekend, the Phalaborwa VW Crew turned their attention from the streets to the heart of the community, launching a series of impactful outreach activities aimed at uplifting the most vulnerable and restoring local pride.
On Sunday, June 15, the crew donated 27 blankets and food parcels to two centres in Lulekani. Ten blankets went to the Horisani Disability Centre, while 17 blankets and food parcels were handed over to the Xihlovo Old Age Centre. The blanket drive was led by crew member Felicia Rikhotso with support from local social worker Emelda Ralph.
“Our focus was on blankets because it is winter. No one deserves to spend the night cold or risk illness due to the weather,” said crew spokesperson Collins Malesa. “In both centres, the situation is very tough, and when we say tough, we mean it,” he added.
On Monday, June 16, the crew turned their efforts to the Namakgale entrance, repainting the large concrete block letters and cleaning the surrounding area.
The revitalisation project was led by Radichaba Machaba and aimed to restore a sense of pride and visibility to the area.
“We managed to repaint one side of the block letters and clean the opposite side of the road. It was not easy, but with the little we had, some money from our own pockets, and the support of one of our members, we made it happen,” Malesa explained.
Though the crew does not currently have official sponsors, they continue to push forward with grassroots initiatives that uplift the community. Malesa extended heartfelt thanks to local donors who helped make the weekend’s efforts possible.
“We would like to thank The A Team Security, The Vault Lifestyle, and Cum Exclusive Lounge. Most importantly, we appreciate our members for their tireless efforts in making Phalaborwa a better place with the little we have,” he said.
The crew is calling on individuals, businesses, and organisations to join their mission of community development. Anyone interested in donating or sponsoring their future projects can contact Malesa at 066 230 0081.
