Business paves a way for better learning
Siyafundza Primary received the biggest donation in the school's history when Biaton Paving Bricks recently responded to a request written by a teacher at the school for an upgrade of basic facilities.
MBOMBELA – Situated on the R538 between White River and Hazyview, Siyafundza Primary School has 1 800 pupils and over 40 teachers. Biaton first agreed to donate a load of paving bricks which it delivered during the June holidays. Another company was contracted to lay the paving.
“When we paid a visit to the school on July 29 it was much worse than we initially thought. There was just dust everywhere,” said Hethlan Loock, managing director of Biaton.
“There was hardly any paving. The fences were in poor condition and the soccer field had no grass. We decided then that we needed to help for a longer period.”
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Biaton has now offered to help the school upgrade more facilities, including the kitchen.
Biaton will also assist in the building of an auditorium and provide Siyafundza with 500-square metres of paving and labour for 12 months.
Loock added that many of his employees’ children attend Siyafundza Primary.
“It is the community that supports us and we need to support them too,” he said.
Elsabe de Waal, the teacher who wrote the letter, said she was overwhelmed when Biaton committed to do the paving.
“It will make such a big difference for the pupils and teachers. We could not wear smart clothes or shoes as they would get dirty very quickly. We have also noticed a decrease in litter around the school. The pupils are proud of where they learn. It might become a very neat school now,” she said.
The principal, Andrew Maphosa, conveyed the school’s sincere gratitude towards Biaton Paving Bricks and thanked it for choosing to aid Siyafundza Primary.
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