Kenneth Mokgatlhe
We live in a time known as the Information Age, where information is regarded as an important currency or commodity.
Such technological developments should not be confined to the big urban centres, however, but need to reach the remote towns and villages in South Africa as well.
That being the case, I was delighted to see a meaningful partnership between the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Faculty of Engineering and the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) come to fruition earlier this month, with the launch of a state-of-the-art learning centre, aptly named Nga Tshumisano (Working Together), at Hanyani Secondary School in Tshipisi, Limpopo.
On August 4, in the chilly weather in Tshipise village, 80km outside Thohoyandou, more than 100 people gathered to celebrate the launch of Nga Tshumisano. It was an historic occasion, as the centre will cater for more than 400 pupils, most of whom have not seen a library or computer.
The mountainous, rocky region of Vhembe does not have proper roads to connect people and places. As I was travelling to witness this historic launch, I saw women carrying buckets of water on their heads, indicating that they do not have running water close to where they live. I wondered how the UJ and SAJBD discovered such a hidden place.
SAJBD spokesperson Charisse Zeifert said that when her organisation heard about the project from UJ vice-chancellor Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi they knew they wanted to become involved.
“When Prof Mpedi described the important work his colleagues were doing in this rural area, as well as the needs of the school, we immediately knew we wanted to be involved. We understood that a resource centre would have a huge impact on that community,” she said.
The Nga Tshumisano centre has six computers and books to be used especially by matrics. There is also free wi-fi accessible to teachers and learners, which will certainly improve the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. It is the second UJ-run project in which the Tshipise community has benefited, the first being the introduction of solar panels in Matatane village.
The SAJBD and UJ should be hailed for ensuring that the remote rural areas benefit from the technological advancement agenda. That being said, we should also remember that there was a community hero who alerted UJ about this poor village. Godfrey Nefholovodwe, 31, requested the Gauteng university to help the forgotten people of Tshipisi, who have to pay more than R120 to go to Thohoyandou simply to do their monthly shopping. Pupils have to walk more than 14km to and from various schools as there are no proper roads for scholar transport.
Nefholovodwe explains why this project is so important to the community:
“I used to travel about 14km to get to school. I did not focus when in class because I was tired and distracted from walking and the thought that I had to walk a similar distance to go back home haunted me. I had to travel long distances to Thohoyandou whenever I needed to use the library or internet services, which was costly for me as my parents are unemployed.
“I thought that the generation coming after me shouldn’t be subjected to such difficulties. This initiative will enhance the educational lives of my rural people; we wish to see more rural-based schools benefiting from such noble projects.”
It is important for South African universities and civil society bodies, like the SAJBD, to play an active role in improving the lives and livelihoods of the poor people in our rural communities. We have seen that the government does not have the capacity to provide even the most basic needs, and we shouldn’t burden it further while private entities and civil society fold their arms.
Our communities should also begin to be proactive by involving themselves in projects that practically improve the lives of the locals. While it is obvious that they have become reliant on a government that is unable to provide what it needs to as per constitutional requirements, people need to look to do things for themselves, teaming up where possible with progressive partners such as UJ, SAJBD and others.
Kenneth Mokgatlhe is a freelance reporter and columnist in North West.