By: Nontsikelelo Ngubane

Kwa-Zulu-Natal Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize, members of his Executive Council as well as the eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Cllr James Nxumalo, with his team spent over 67 minutes renovating the Duze Primary School in uMbumbulu today as their tribute of the 67 minutes in honour of former President Nelson Mandela.

This school was in a terrible condition and has been put under the government’s school improvement programme initiated to coincide with the birthday celebrations of former President Nelson Mandela. This initiative is aimed at mobilizing society to ensure the provision of quality education to schools, especially those that are in poor communities.

Mkhize’s official remarks embraced such initiatives especially towards education, the “engine of our economy”.

“We reiterate as government that our major focus is the provision of quality education. We do so because we understand that quality education has reshaped life in most countries and made it possible for the millions of people to live a fulfilling life. Education is the engine of the economy. We have no doubt that, without quality education, there can be no socio-economic development in this province,” said Mkhize.

Over the years, the people of South Africa across all races have used education as a vehicle to defeat apartheid. Mayor James expressed that it is relevant today that all unite and ensure that the post-apartheid education equips the children to take up the lead in the global economy.

The jolly Finance department team hard at work.

“Spending 67 minutes renovating the Duze Primary School is a fitting tribute to Tata Nelson Mandela on his birthday,” said eThekwini Municipality Speaker Logie Naidoo.

Naidoo also emphasized that the Duze Primary School is a voting station and it is also very close to the home of the late Flora Mkhize who was an ANC activist and a councilor of the uMbumbulu region who died in 2008. Mkhize is the mother of ‘tenderprenuer’ Shawn Mpisane.

The children could not stop smiling. Some were buzzing around and enjoying games with employees of the eThekwini Municipality while some were enjoying story time with the deputy mayor.

Anele Mkhwanazi, a 9-year-old grade three student wished Nelson Mandela a happy birthday and she wished to meet him one day. “I will make him and my gogo proud,” she said.