Overcrowded school in Mamelodi gets new classrooms, facilities

An overcrowded school in Mamelodi received much-needed new infrastructure.

Due to its rapid growth the infrastructure at Solomon Mahlangu Freedom school had become insufficient for its 1 574 learners.

The infrastructure developments came about through a partnership with the Gift of the Givers Foundation and the Ford motor company.

The project is set to enhance the academic experience for both learners and teachers at the school.

“The funding facilitated the renovation of 36 classrooms and bathroom facilities and much-needed upgrades to the plumbing and electrical systems which had deteriorated over time,” said Duduzile Nxele from Ford Motor Company Southern Africa.

Four additional classrooms were constructed, with the new block dubbed the Ford wing.

School principal Thoko Zikhali said over the years the intake of children has increased tremendously, and now far exceeds the number of learners the school was designed to accommodate, leading to an overcrowding crisis.

“Through the generosity of Ford and Gift of the Givers, we’ve been able to alleviate our space constraints. This will contribute to a much-improved educational experience for our learners, thus enabling our teachers to create a better learning environment.

“We especially look forward to being able to make effective use of our laboratories for physical science and life science practicals. Our labs and the library were previously used as classrooms to accommodate students,” she said.

The Solomon Mahlangu Freedom School was selected as a commitment to continuously bring support and upliftment to the areas in which it operates.

“As a public secondary school, Solomon Mahlangu Freedom School is dedicated to the memory of Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu, honouring his courage and commitment to South Africa as a freedom fighter,” said Nxele.

Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was a military hero in the country’s liberation movement and remains an iconic figure in Mamelodi to this day.

Community empowerment was also a fundamental aspect of the project, with Gift of the Givers ensuring that contractors from the Mamelodi community were part of the construction and renovation project.

Founder of Gift of the Givers, Dr Imtiaz Soolim said: “Through this grant, our foundation partnered with reputable contractors from the community to leverage combined expertise for mutual benefit”.

Nxele said the renovation forms part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of education and upliftment.

“This is a commitment to education and empowering South Africa’s youth.”

“Our initiatives address social issues that are most pressing in the communities that Ford operates in. Education is one of our key pillars, as it’s an essential tool for economic empowerment and upliftment,” said Neale Hill, president of Ford Motor Company Africa.

“We are confident that this project will positively impact the youth and the broader community in Mamelodi for many years to come.”

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