POLOKWANE – South Africa is the current holder of the Group of 20 (G20) Presidency under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”.

Our country has been in charge of the international forum of both developing and developed countries since 01 December 2024 with its tenure ending on 30 November 2025.

The approach to SA’s Presidency is aligned to the African philosophy ‘Ubuntu’, that ‘motho ke motho ka batho’ in Sesotho Sa Leboa or ‘I am because you are’ in the English language.

Significantly, education is one of the working groups under the Sherpa track, with other parts of the G20 structure being the finance track and engagement groups.

Using the Ubuntu approach, Dr MJ Madiba Secondary School alumni are joining hands to assist their alma mater in rolling out various interventions in respect of improving teaching and
learning, infrastructure and acquiring equipment.

The quintile 3 public school is located in Ga-Madiba Village, Ga-Mashashane area outside Polokwane and was named after linguist, author, educationist, and community leader, Dr Moses Josiah Madiba, who passed on 40 years ago. In 1973 the University of South Africa’s (Unisa) Faculty of Education conferred Madiba an honorary doctorate in education.

Back to Dr MJ Madiba alumni involvement in their alma mater’s affairs, the #50ToFifty campaign aims to mobilise fellow alumni and others to donate a minimum R50 to complete an infrastructure face-lift project in the build-up to its 50-year anniversary in 2026.

With a wall built at the school’s entrance after last year’s fundraising gala, reaching the R20 000 financial target set for the campaign will enable completion of the face-lift project, as the school still requires a new gate, vision, mission and safety information boards.

In his keynote address during the national Youth Day 2025 commemoration, Deputy President, Paulus Mashatile said “To parents, teachers, and communities, let us support and guide our children. The government will continue leading from the front by creating a conducive environment for economic growth, education, safety, and opportunity.”

Through the #50ToFifty campaign, alumni are joining efforts by multi-stakeholders including the government and corporates in creating a conducive environment for education.

Significantly, the campaign started at the beginning of Youth Month and will continue until the end of Women’s Month, 31 August.

Youth today are facing a different liberation struggle from the one which was confronted by the June 16, 1976 youth in respect of access to education. In this regard, the #50ToFifty campaign is a notable intervention in creating a sustainable future, especially in light of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: “Quality Education” overview: “Low-and lower-middle-income countries face a nearly $100 billion annual financing gap to reach their education targets.”

The bigger picture, besides restoring academic excellence at the school, the ultimate goal is also to see it once again flourish in extramural activities such as choral music, softball, athletics, soccer, netball and volleyball.

Dr MJ Madiba alumni occupy various sectors in and outside South Africa. A fellow alumnus and manager of the Monotwane Village-based, Naledi Spiders Softball Club, Peter ‘Kelly’ Sekhaolelo is at the forefront of ensuring that youth from Ga-Mashashane compete on an equal footing in the softball sporting code. After all, equality is another element of the SA G20 Presidency’s theme.

Although a teacher at a different school in the Mashashane area, it is commendable that Sekhaolelo is working closely with our alma mater in unearthing athletics and softballing talent in the locality. Moreover, Naledi Spiders has clearly contributed to the development of the‘diamond ball’ in South Africa, with some of its male and female players having received national colours, as part of SA’s junior and senior teams in baseball and its softball variation.

Dr MJ Madiba had a formidable softball team in the 1980s, and by Sekhaolelo’s own admission, he was a fringe player until he matriculated in 1988.

Even though some of the school’s 1980s ‘kitten ball’ team members have since passed, the line-up at any time brimmed with talent such as City Ledwaba, Jazzino Kola, Klaatjie Lediga, Tebogo Maleka, George Mohlabeng, Marks ‘Mongauzi’ Ledwaba, Zakes Boroto, Pretty ‘Bricks’ Magongwa, Levy Mokonyama, and Aaron ‘Mawethu’ Manyelo thus it was not an easy task breaking into the squad.

Through the #50ToFifty campaign, the school’s alumni are striving to bring hope and regeneration to their alma mater and the Mashashane community, as embodied by the King Protea, South Africa’s national flower. The ‘Protea cynaroides’ flowering plant is one of the main elements of the logo for the country’s G20 Presidency.

To ensure manifestation of sustainability by supporting the school’s restoration agenda beyond the Golden Jubilee celebrations, establishment of a governance structure, specifically an alumni foundation is in the pipeline.

It is therefore an honour to join a cohort of volunteers comprising Robert Setshedi, Dr. Nell Ledwaba, Phinah Shadung, Joey Kganyago, and Motshelo Boroto, former learners from 1991-2004 , in coordinating the conceptualisation of the #50ToFifty campaign, implementation of the Golden Jubilee project and the establishment of a formal alumni governance structure.

Maubane was born in Mohlonong village, Ga-Mashashane and is a Dr MJ Madiba secondary school alumnus.