Police donate sports apparel
Representatives from the Gauteng Arts and Culture Department, Emfuleni Local Municipality, and officials from the Gauteng Department of Education in the Sedibeng District joined the gathering to express their support.
VANDERBIJLPARK- Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police, spearheaded a significant donation to Vanderbijlpark Hoërskool as part of the School Safety Project. The donation, comprising sports gear, chess boards, and various equipment, aimed to engage students in sports and intellectual activities, deterring them from criminal involvement.
The event, held at the school hall, welcomed numerous dignitaries, including General Lemba, also known as Major General Nkhensani Lemba, and sponsors such as Build It and Sanlam.
Representatives from the Gauteng Arts and Culture Department, Emfuleni Local Municipality, and officials from the Gauteng Department of Education in the Sedibeng District joined the gathering to express their support. The program commenced with diverse performances, including engaging poems recited by Basetsana Thinane.
Students enthusiastically participated in a chess challenge, underscoring the event’s focus on both sports and intellectual pursuits. Addressing the audience, Alex Sepeng, responsible for the corridor of Sports, Arts, and Culture in the Sedibeng District, assured the school of ongoing support for sports, arts, and cultural activities.
“We are committed to providing sports apparel and supporting arts and culture programs. The school’s management of these donations is crucial for their effective utilisation,” he emphasised.
Themba Maseko, GDE District Director, emphasised the school’s pivotal role in transforming students’ lives from grade R to 12. He highlighted the school’s historical significance as the area’s first high school and hinted at its potential transition to a Sports School of Specialisation due to existing infrastructure. General Lemba stressed the commitment of the South African Police Service to keeping students engaged and fit.
She asserted: “Our responsibility is to ensure their fitness, and by providing these apparels, we contribute to that cause.”
During his keynote speech, Mawela acknowledged the school’s past glory and urged a revival of its potential.
“We are in Vaal, an area renowned for its talent. We must not let this school’s potential go to waste. We need to continue the legacy of producing exceptional talent,” he expressed.
Mawela revealed that Vanderbijlpark Hoërskool marked the 12th school visited that year and expressed hopes for the students of 2023 to leave their mark on the school’s Wall of Fame.
