VRYHEID KZN: Farewell to former Mpofini principal

A farewell party was held on Friday for former Mpofini High School principal Mr BE Ndela. Close family, friends and colleagues gathered at King Shenge Village to celebrate his retirement. Mr Ndela has been part of the school for 24 years and has served as principal for 16 years. Miss Mthombeni, who is an educator at Mpofini, welcomed everyone who attended the event and said they were there to celebrate a legend. School Governing Body (SGB) member Mr Thango added that, “We are very grateful to speak of you and about you while you are still alive. You were a very good example to us, but now it is time to be a good example to your family. It would be a pity for the whole of Vryheid to applaud you, but your family doesn’t, so lead by example even at home. I would like you to continue to be your humble self with a humble spirit.” Schoolchildren were also present at the farewell function. One of the learners, Ndumiso Buthelezi, mentioned that they are grateful for his teachings throughout the years, right up until his retirement. “To me, he was like a dad and I would like to thank him for everything.” Mr Kirsten from Lakeside Park Primary School gave a speech on behalf of the neighbouring schools. He shared that he has known Mr Ndlela for almost 20 years and they attended countless meetings of the Filidi Ward Principal Committee. “Mr Ndlela is a brave man because, as for me, I don’t think I could have survived being a principal at a high school for all these years,” he said laughingly. “You’ve been a good man to work with and you have left a legacy behind you; something to be proud of! God chose you to lead the people you have led. Enjoy your retirement days and thank you so much for being a friend and a colleague,” he concluded. Miss P Simelane, who is an educator at Mpofini and used to work with Mr Ndlela, gave a speech on behalf of the teachers who all worked with him at the school. She said, “Thank you for showing us love and being a good example to learn from. Mr Ndlela is a very good listener and what surprised me is the fact that he knew the learners by their names. We were like chicks and he was the hen to all of us, encouraging us throughout our journey. And yes, because we were in a working environment, we had to work and he’d be strict at times, but he was a very approachable man.” A lot of singing and dancing took place at the venue, with people sharing their unforgettable moments with Mr Ndlela. Others jokingly imitated the way he used to do or say certain things. The current principal of the school, Mr Sikhakhane, said he has worked with Mr Ndlela for as long as he can remember and has learnt so many things from him. “This man here is very approachable and easy to work with. You are a good man who worked for so long at this school and some days were not so good, but you persevered. You built us up and you made us your family. There are many different projects you accomplished at school and you left them with us, I sometimes didn’t realise that you were sitting in the hot seat, but now I can feel the heat. Thank you for not holding any grudges against anyone. We thank God for giving us you to lead us.” Mr Ndlela made some remarks after the event and said, “It was magnificent the way everything was put together, and the food was really good. It surprised me when people talked about me, as I didn’t realise I have added so much value to their lives. Sometimes you just do things without noticing the impact you have on other people. Some of them don’t have fathers, so I had to step in and be a father figure. In fact, I had to be family to everyone – I had to comfort and counsel them if needed. It was the first event of this sort and everybody said I deserve it. Everything was well arranged and it was great.” ALSO READ:VRYHEID: Vryheid High School bids farewell to one of its greats, Mr Le Roux

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