As the world prepares to commemorate Nelson Mandela Day, Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Deputy Minister Makhotso Sotyu has handed over school desks to two schools in the Free State.
Ahead of Nelson Mandela Day on Saturday, the Deputy Minister handed over a total 250 eco-furniture school desks to Ladybrand and Manyatseng Primary Schools in Ladybrand.
“We were in Ladybrand today in response to the clarion call by the Nelson Mandela Foundation for all of us to be active citizens in our communities,” said the Deputy Minister on Friday.
The donated desks were sourced from the department’s Eco-Furniture Programme, which utilises invasive alien plant biomass to make products needed by government.
This in turn creates work opportunities for previously unemployed individuals as part of the Expanded Public Works Programme.
“Since April 2014, our Eco-Furniture Programme has successfully placed over 600 000 learners behind high-quality desks, most for the very first time in their careers,” said Sotyu.
The high quality, durable, solid-wooden desks are manufactured through the Department’s Working for Water programme. The programme which aims to remove invasive alien plants and mitigate their effects on water quantity and quality, biological diversity and the functioning of natural ecosystems.
“Removing these invasive species that threaten our water security, promotes ecosystem resilience in an area of climate change, while creating much needed jobs. With the wood from these plants, we have been able to manufacture desks,” she said.
Donations of school bags, facemasks and school shoes were also made.
This year’s Mandela Day comes as communities across the world confront challenges brought on by COVID-19.
The Deputy Minister also spent some time at the Manyatseng Old Age Home where she handed-over 50 blankets, groceries, sanitisers, vegetables seeds and garden tools.
Sotyu was accompanied by Mayor of Mantsopa Local Municipality Mamsie Tsoene.