The Mayor of Umtshezi Municipality Bongani Dlamini embarked on a two-day school road show around Umtshezi recently. The Mayor told the matric students that they were there for service delivery and not for ‘politicking’. He went on to thank teachers, because students are what they are because of them.
The Mayor told the students that he once worked for Statistics South Africa and he knows very well about the lives of the disadvantaged families, hence he visits students in order to encourage and prepare them for their career paths.
Different colleges, the National Youth Development Agency, Stats SA, Independent Electoral Commission and universities were part of the team that provided messages of support. Councillors, principals and teachers were also present. Mr Dlamini warned the students against being involved in sexual activities, which might jeopardise their future like unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/Aids, which might take their lives.
He told them that their parents invest in them, telling learners how his mother sold aprons at the taxi rank to make a living.
He said it is better to be called a fool because of not wanting to smoke or abstain from alcohol than be involved in the above and become a drop-out.
The Mayor told students about an individual who spent seven years studying medicine and graduated, only to die a week after due to a HIV/Aids related sickness. “What a waste,” he remarked. He urged those students who are sexually active to condomise.
Mr Dlamini told matrics that the municipality is aware of the conditions they are facing when they arrive at home from fetching cattle or water and not having enough time to study, the child-headed families and others travelling long distances to school. He quoted OR Tambo when he said: “A nation that does not care for its youth has no future and does not deserve one”.
The Mayor told students not to let their circumstances in life destroy them. DJ Sgqemeza, DJ Mpiloz, DJ Sox and DJ Marlon accompanied the Mayor; some of them were involved in drugs and alcohol but are now clean. He said in life there is always hope and second chances. “For those who fell, stand up and march on,” the Mayor said.
He added that every year the municipality helps 100 students with a registration fee of R3 000 and by next year they would have helped at least 500 students when their term at the Umtshezi Municipality ends. The Mayor promised the students that councillors would assess families in order to identify promising students and those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, who would qualify for bursaries.
