The Mamelodi Voice 2012

U N I V E R S I T Y O F P R E TO R I A

S U M M E R 2 01 2

The

Mamelodi Voice

Spotlight on SOS p. 6,7

Animal health p. 10, 11

Poetry p. 14

Kids kick off their futures with sport  Ishmael Mohlabe

P

rimary schools in Mamelodi East increasingly focus on sport to combat the threat of drugs and alcohol.

According to France Mmatli, head of sports at Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School, the pupils‟ futures are safe with sports.

“There is no doubt that if students participate in sports, especially after school hours, they avoid being exposed to future-threatening substances like alcohol and drugs,” he said.

Sport is not only seen as an alternative to drugs. Kabelo Maleka, sports manager at Meetse-a-Bophelo Primary School, believes students who do well in sports stand a good chance of improving academically. “I have been getting feedback from teachers that the sport programmes we have are making a huge difference in the learners‟ school tasks and that the sports pupils are shining in their results,” said Maleka.

Despite their lack of resources, teachers and coaches are excited about learners‟ involvement in sports.

“We could do with a helping hand.

Even though we have limited resources we do our best to encourage the children to participate in the various sporting codes,” said Mmatli.

Some local students who are excelling in their respective sports get the opportunity to showcase their

talents on a bigger stage.

Legora Primary School has six under-12 soccer players who are part of the Mamelodi Sundowns Academy. One of the players is 12-year-old Kgothatso Mohale. “My dream is to play for Sundowns and Bafana Bafana. I would also like to play overseas, preferably in the Spanish or Portuguese league,” said the ambitious footballer.

Mohale‟s coach, Nomsa Mavimbela, described the boy as a talented player who is shy of the field but exudes a no-nonsense, tough-tackling approach when game time comes.

Meetse-a-Bophelo has a star of its own in 12-year-old Philani Zwane.

The grade seven football player has caught the attention of South Africa‟s national women‟s under-17 squad.

She has been invited for open trials with the junior team at the University of Pretoria‟s High Performance Centre. “I was very excited when they called me and I am committed to doing my level best to impress the national coach,” said Zwane. She hopes that this opportunity will give her an advantage when Banyana Banyana searches for fresh talent.

For many of the children in Mamelodi‟s primary schools sport is not only viewed as an extramural activity but as a stepping stone to achieving their dreams.

Two under-11 players challenge each other for the ball before soccer practice at Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School.

Photo: PIETER VAN DER MERWE

Learning without lights in Lusaka  Caylene Marais

I

n the darkness of their classroom, forty children chant the alphabet in rhythm with their teacher.

Their electricity supply has not been activated today, and their only source of light is fading behind the clouds.

More than 200 children receive early-childhood learning here at the Berakah Educational Foundation in Lusaka. Without their own electricity unit, Berakah is forced to continue to do their teaching in half-light. Their only power comes from an illegal

electricity connection.

Currently this power supply is mainly used to run the kitchen‟s fridge. There is no constructed power unit on the property, and the organisation is forced to operate without the use of an independent meter.

“We have a stand number and a meter box number but we need the money for the electricity box [unit],” said Glenton Magalela, groundskeeper and caretaker. “We get our electricity from the neighbours, [whom] we

pay,” he added.

Open wires can be seen running from a plastered house on the adjoining property to the kitchen on Berakah‟s grounds. “We pay the neighbour R400 every month to use her electricity but sometimes she doesn‟t turn it on [until] late in the day,” explained Magalela.

No person may sell electricity that is supplied to their premises to any other person for use on any other sites. This is according to the City of

Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality‟s Standard Electricity Supply bylaws. The by-laws also stipulate that only one electricity service connection may be made available to a stand.

According to Berakah Educational Foundation CEO, Bryan Hill, the Berakah Trust owns the property on which the centre is situated. The Trust is still in the process of authorizing the documents needed for a legal electricity application. Hill said

the centre has all the equipment needed to get the electricity running but is waiting on authorization and funding.

It is estimated that Berakah will need R30 000 to construct a legitimate electricity supply unit and establish a legal connection.

“We are currently putting together a proposal for funding to submit to the Community Impact Trust, our sponsor, but I‟m not sure how long this will take,” said Hill.

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The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Mustard Seeds helps Mamelodi go green  Danielle Petterson

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new ministry organisation is mobilising the people of Mamelodi to make their home a greener place to live. Mustard Seeds puts emphasis on the environment and sustainable livelihoods.

On Mandela Day (18 July) this year the organisation arranged a clean -up in Mamelodi in partnership with WastePlan. Approximately 100 people volunteered to clean up the area from the BP Garage on Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Mamelodi Hospital, to the railway bridge on Tsamaya Road. More than two truckloads of waste was collected and transported to a registered landfill site by WastePlan. Absalom Boroto, a ward councillor for the Tshwane Municipality, helped mobilise the community for the clean-up.

According to Vici Napier, founder of Mustard Seeds, far more people volunteered than anticipated and various community members pitched in throughout the day. “Given the short

timeframe to organise such an event we did really well and the community was really amazed and impressed,” she said.

In celebration of Arbour Day, Mustard Seeds planted ten trees at Emasangweni Primary School with volunteers, Bhubesi Fire Projects and grade six educators and learners from the school. The organisation also taught learners how to plant succulent slips into old food tins. These plants will be used for a rockery project in November. The school principal said he would like to have a rockery with succulent plants at one of the school‟s entrances.

According to Napier, members of the surrounding community came to watch the activities. “The learners thoroughly enjoyed themselves and were appreciative of the trees and the fact that outsiders had an interest in them and their school,” she said.

Mustard Seeds hopes to implement several projects in the future.

Volunteers pick up litter at the Mandela Day clean-up.

Photo: THOMAS MALULEKE

These include waste and recycling at schools, electricity generation using bio-digesters and arts and crafts projects using recyclable and waste materials. The organisation also hopes to implement rainwater harvesting at local schools to provide water for vegetable gardens, sports fields and school properties.

Mustard Seeds welcomes volunteers. Participation is needed in the following areas:  Professional/expert knowledge and advice on projects.  Donation of resources (funds, equipment and project components).  Assisting in securing funding/ project partners to implement projects.  Volunteering at projects.

To get involved contact Vici Napier on 078 278 2898 or email her at vici@mustardseeds.co.za

Children put the finishing touches on the tree they planted at Emasangweni Primary School.

Photo: VANESSA PRICE

A grade six Emasangweni learner fills his tin with soil for a succulent slip to be planted.

Photo: HAROLD PRICE

Volunteers make homework fun for learners  Sydney King

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Alayna Magaseng, a Thuthukani volunteer, assists Tshepo Mgidi, one of the children involved in the after-school homework sessions at Legora.

Photo: SYDNEY KING

thando Khorombi*, a grade seven learner at Legora Primary School, sits at a desk flying through his numeracy homework. Nthando is one of 66 pupils who benefits from the Thuthukani Youth Project.

The project is hosted at the Legora Primary School in Mamelodi East. This initiative was started in 2004 by social work students from the University of Pretoria (UP). Thuthukani aims to prevent young learners from dropping out of school and hopes to help them steer clear of teenage pregnancy and substance abuse.

This is according to UP lecturer Martie Booyzen.

The programme offers an afterschool homework session run by volunteers every Thursday afternoon.

Learners are encouraged to attend these sessions because they receive a meal. They also receive attendance credits they can use to buy school uniforms or stationery. Booyzen believes that incomplete uniforms and stationery supplies contribute to a poor self-esteem and unfinished schoolwork. “The kids earn these credits, budget and plan their purchases, and are therefore not receiving a „hand-out‟ but feel proud of their purchases,” said Booyzen.

The 66 children currently in the programme were selected because they are orphans or pupils who struggle academically.

A Thuthukani volunteer, Alayna

Magaseng, believes that Thuthukani empowers those who are selected.

The programme teaches them the importance of homework, which contributes towards better marks. This is proven by the school‟s overall increased pass rate for English, which rose from 10% to 45% since the pro-

Thuthukani gives the spirit that everything is going to be okay ject was introduced in 2004.

Thuthukani also offers recreational activities hosted by UP‟s social work students. The children are taken on quarterly outings and once a year they go on an adventure camp. Legora Principal, Mohlamme Mathebe expressed his gratitude for the camp. “[It] exposes these children to a holiday. It connects the students to areas outside Mamelodi.”

Mathebe appreciates the outside assistance from tertiary learners who helped start and volunteer in the project. “What the students are learning at university is filtering into Legora,” he said. In previous years UP Education students have been involved with Thuthukani, assisting the learners individually during the homework sessions. Despite not being involved this year, the education students will

return in 2013 to help the pupils.

Hanlie Dippenaar, an education lecturer at UP, believes that this programme is not only vital for Legora pupils, but for university students too. “Here our future teachers are able to apply theory learned in the lecture hall in a real life context.”

Annette Jooste, a third-year student in Intermediate Phase education, recalls her Legora experience, explaining it was not easy communicating with children who cannot speak, read or write fluently in English. She added that her learner tried his best, making it a truly rewarding experience. Jooste found the practical involvement invaluable, saying, “I learnt that there will be challenging scenarios in my classroom, I just need to be creative and open minded when approaching them.”

Mathebe said he is pleased with the positive results of the project. “I hope that the Department [of Education] will consider ensuring that projects such as Thuthukani will be seriously implemented.” He also applauded the University for undertaking the project without concerns of the financial aspects.

Magaseng believes, “Thuthukani gives the spirit that everything is going to be okay. It is making a difference each and every day.” *Nthando Khorombi is not the child‟s real name. The Mamelodi Voice was asked to keep his name private.

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

3

Virtual adoption brings hope  Aimee Delagey

V

irtual adoption acts as a remedy for the increasing amount of vulnerable households found in Mamelodi. One such programme is run by the Viva Village Foundation situated in the Alaska informal settlement.

Abie Mokwena is alone, underage and uneducated. He has lived in a single room tin shack since the death of his parents four years ago. He has no birth certificate which means that he cannot go to school or apply for an identity document, making finding work a struggle. Mokwena‟s best friend, Sipho Nkosi, introduced him to the Viva Village Foundation at the end of 2011. He is now virtually adopted here.

Viva‟s Virtual Adoption programme started in December 2010 and acts as a sponsorship for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and the families that care for them. The goal of the programme is to strengthen underprivileged families through home-based care and provide accommodation to OVC in crisis. The programme provides for the needs of the whole family and not only for vulnerable children within a household.

“If you assess two orphans staying with extended family, you can‟t just give the orphans food and expect the family to cook it for them and watch them eat it,” explained Meleny Kriel chairperson of Viva.

The Viva Foundation cares for 153 families of which only eight are

virtually adopted. Mokwena is grateful to be one of the eight. “Viva is [my] family,” he said with a smile.

Jared Burchell, Manager of the Virtual Adoption programme at Viva, said, “One cannot imagine that someone living in his conditions and circumstances could still adopt and maintain a positive outlook.”

You can’t just give the orphans food and expect the family to cook it for them and watch them eat it

Virtual adoption starts with a virtual family, consisting of an individual, a company or any number of friends from anywhere in the world who want to adopt a family in need.

An in-depth assessment of the families determines their level of vulnerability. This and the amount of money that the virtual family is willing to sponsor, determines which family is adopted by whom. Childheaded households, critically ill parents caring for children and grannyheaded households are considered most vulnerable.

According to Kriel, the average cost of a family‟s needs ranges between R600 and R1200 per month.

R600 is used for smaller families, such as a granny caring for small children who is only receiving grant money, while a family of ten would use R1200 because of school fees, food and other necessities.

“Through the sponsorship of virtual families, the Viva Foundation is able to provide the adopted families with a service,” said Kriel. The service includes a monthly food parcel, weekly visits, medical care, school fees and logistical support. She added that special volunteer days can also be arranged for the virtual family to help their adopted family repair their house or simply to become acquainted with one another.

In addition to this, Burchell provides the virtual families with a feedback report once a term that includes pictures of the adopted families receiving their food parcels and news of events in their lives.

Since his adoption at the beginning of the year the Viva Foundation has been able to enrol Mokwena into the Reneliwe Adult Centre for learning. Mokwena clearly has big dreams: “I want to be a pilot; to see the United Kingdom and America,” he said.

According to Kriel, education is a priority for the foundation because it provides OVC with an exit strategy from the poverty and despair they

The threat of Nyaope T

Photo: NARINA NEL

face. “It allows them to realise their self-sustainability and dreams.”

The Foundation helps Mokwena with food, clothes and transport money for school through the

sponsorship. Ultimately Viva can now take Mokwena to the hospital in Venda where he was born 17 years ago to get his proof of birth in order to apply for a birth certificate.

Drug abuse warning signs  Significant changes in appetite or 

 Stephanie Van Der Plank he community of Mamelodi is suffering from the damage caused by a new drug called Nyaope. Nyaope is becoming increasingly popular amongst teenagers and poses an imminent threat to the community. The leaders of Legora Primary School have already noticed the effects of this drug on their students and facilities and are striving to prevent the drug from further infiltrating the school.

A security guard at the school, Dina Mokweti, said she has seen young men staggering through the streets, “obviously high on Nyaope”.

She describes their eyes as barely open, and their mouths and hands being black from smoking.

Nyaope is a relatively new drug combining cheap heroin and dagga.

Abie Mokwena at the Viva Village.

To enhance Nyaope‟s euphoric effect, rat poison is sometimes added.

Mokweti said that at night and sometimes on weekends, the “Nyaope boys” try to come

To enhance Nyaope’s euphoric effect, rat poison is sometimes added

inside the school and steal cables.

Legora‟s Principal, Mohlamme Mathebe, acknowledged that Nyaope is creating problems within

the schools and community of Mamelodi. Legora has been directly affected by the drug as it is alleged that the young addicts break into the school and steal property such as electric cables and taps in order to sustain their habit. The television and some computer equipment has been stolen from the school library.

“They are stealing almost everything,” said Mathebe. He has reported these cases to the police. “Even if the police can catch these boys, they are not going to solve the problem.

The problem they need to solve is to get the people who are dealing Nyaope, because, really, they are killing our children.”

The police were unavailable for comment.

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eating habits, unexplained weight loss or gain Significant changes in sleep patterns Unexplained physical problems including tremors, nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating.

Change in overall attitude or personality with no other identifiable cause Drop in grades at school or performance at work; regularly skips school or is late for school General lack of motivation, energy, self-esteem, an „I don't care‟ attitude Excessive moodiness, irritability, or nervousness Unexplained need for money, stealing money or items Silliness or giddiness.

Paranoia

Harmful effects of drugs 

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General mental and physical health effects include: respiratory and heart problems, memory loss, neurological damage and mental health disorders such as mood disorders The abuse of a drug can lead to addiction. Increased use of drugs can lead to overdose and possibly death Drugs often alter a person‟s behaviour, negatively affecting relationships Many drug users resort to committing criminal acts to support their drug habit Using drugs while pregnant can cause miscarriages, birth defects and intellectual disabilities. Alcohol abuse during pregnancy exposes the foetus to Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, which causes the baby to be born dependent on alcohol.

Driving back dirty drugs from school grounds  Stephanie Van Der Plank

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n response to the increasing use of the drug, Nyaope, Legora Primary School has introduced a number of drug-related initiatives.

The teachers have decided that the situation created by the drug calls for serious attention. Substance abuse workshops have been incorporated into the Life Orientation curriculum and a Drug Awareness Campaign was held during the school holiday.

The Drug Awareness Campaign

is held in conjunction with the Mamelodi Police Station and the School Based Support Team (SBST), headed

by Angie Manana. It will be available to learners of all ages. The SBST has been part of the school for many years and assists learners with social and learning challenges. It provides support and guidance to orphans and child-headed families.

These new changes and developments in the school are part of the

Love Life Games initiative, put into place by the Departments of Education, Sport and Health. Love Life Games aims to deal with all issues involved with the upbringing of a child. Head of Department of Natural Sciences at Legora, Modise Talane, has been instrumental in these operations. He said the initiative is about bringing people together to educate and instruct their children in the context of their community.

The current focus is on drugs and substance abuse and Talane believes it is going well.

Recently Principal Mohlamme Papile Mathebe received a phone call from a distressed parent of a past pupil, who wishes to remain anonymous. The child was in Grade Seven at Legora in 2010 and had just been released from rehab after having been addicted to “this dirty drug called Nyaope,” the parent told Mathebe. He

recalls the mother saying, “I want you, as the principal, to please continue informing the parents [about] this problem of Nyaope.” Mathebe remembered the student as being a very fine boy and said he would do everything he could to educate the parents and children in order to prevent a similar phone call.

The Drug Awareness Campaign‟s substance abuse workshops were the first step towards this prevention.

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The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Hijacking leaves students afraid Safety tips to avoid hijacking    

Always travel with the car doors locked.

Keep all windows closed or, at most, not open more than would allow a hand to fit through.

Leave enough room between your car and the one in front to avoid being boxed in.

Call the attention of other motorists or pedestrians if you think you are in danger. Use the hooter, flash your lights, put your emergency lights on or shout.

day. “The problem is when you travel by car you attract attention,” she said.

Maeya added that the students are also concerned about sharing the campus with the public. Community out-

The men forced her from her car and sped away A security guard stands at his post outside the Mamelodi Campus of the University of Pretoria.

Photo: AMY-MAE CAMPBELL  Amy-Mae Campbell

A

student was hijacked outside the Mamelodi campus of the University of Pretoria (UP) on Friday 17 August, only a few metres away from the campus entrance.

The incident has sparked safety concerns among the students as well as a re-assessment of campus security.

According to the UP Director of Security Services, Colin Fouché, the student exited the main entrance of the campus and before entering the

main street was confronted by two armed men. The men forced her from her car and sped away. A UP security guard stationed at the campus entrance realised what was happening and rushed to her aid.

Abigail Smith, a first-year nutrition and food science student at Mamelodi campus said, “My friends are very afraid of driving to and from campus.” According to Fouché, UP has a bus service available from Hatfield campus to Mamelodi campus and from the Mamelodi UP

residence, Tuks Naledi, to Hatfield campus. Fouché strongly advises the students who feel unsafe travelling by car to make use of this service.

However, the busses only make one round trip daily. They depart early in the morning and return in the late afternoon when most students have finished class. Smith explained that many students bring their cars so that they can leave earlier during the day if they want to.

Shodi Maeya, a first-year biological science student takes the bus every

reach facilities such as animal and legal aid clinics and a science reading room for school children means that no swipe system can be implemented.

There is a constant influx of new visitors, making scheduled appointments impossible.

However, all community members are registered after their first visit to the campus.

Edwin Smith, Mamelodi campus director, explained that a questionnaire has been prepared for all the community programme staff to complete. These will then be forwarded to UP security services in order to re-

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Be aware of anybody who approaches your car or is loitering near traffic lights, stop streets, parking areas or your driveway.

Don't pick up hitchhikers or unknown passengers.

If you suspect that you are being followed, you should ideally drive to the nearest police station. If this is not possible, drive to another safe place but don't go home.

evaluate the balance of student academic programmes and the community interaction on campus.

The UP Student Representative Council (SRC) head of the external campus portfolio, Claudette Veldhuizen, reassured students that both the SRC and the University are very concerned about the safety of the Mamelodi campus students: “The safety of UP students is always important. Although the event technically occurred outside the boundaries of the Mamelodi campus, the university was prepared to engage with SAPS,” said Veldhuizen.

Veldhuizen added that in a recent meeting with the Vice Chancellor of UP, Prof. Cheryl de la Rey, security re -assessments such as proper accreditation of security guards and a park-and -ride initiative was put forward. Since the incident, two new security guards have been allocated to monitor the situation in and around campus.

The campus director encourages all students to make use of the bus services available, and if anyone needs to travel back earlier than the bus is scheduled to leave, they can make arrangements with him.

Berakah beats the odds  Danielle Petterson

A

tiny playground and a lack of school supplies do not stop the Berakah Educational Foundation from playing a “big role” in preschool children’s lives.

Berakah started in 1999 with one volunteer and ten children. Today it caters to 230 children aged six months to six years and has ten staff members. Facilities comprise five classrooms, a kitchen, and separate boys and girls bathrooms situated around a small playground.

The playground - a patch of sand, two swings and a jungle gym - is too small for the children. Not everyone gets to use it regularly which often leads to fighting. The small, dark kitchen with its broken sink tap and knee high gas stove has no cupboards or floor tiles.

“The kitchen is a disaster,“ said Nomthandazo (Sophie) Mashego, founder and staff manager.

Teachers constantly experience frustration at the lack of stationery.

“We often have to borrow from other classrooms,” explained Mashego.

Shortages include paper, pencils, chalk and crayons. An insufficient

number of desks and chairs leave many children sitting on the floor.

Mashego said that teachers have to “make a plan”. This includes letting two children use the opposite sides of the same piece of paper or being forced to work in groups which hampers their learning.

According to Berakah CEO, Bryan Hill, the Foundation receives approximately R24 000 a month in parents’ fees. This he says decreases to R18 000 by September because parents can’t afford the monthly payments. In July and December parents do not pay or pay less because of school holidays, resulting in a R36 400 yearly shortfall. Parents can volunteer at Berakah as payment if they can’t afford the monthly fee.

Mashego said Berakah can’t charge parents more because they can’t afford it. According to Hill, fees can only be raised by R10 to R20 rand every year. Because of this and the lack of funding the completion of a sixth classroom has been put on hold indefinitely.

Berakah is paying staff very basic salaries. Mashego said that the salary

A view of Berakah’s facilities, including some classrooms and the playground. she receives is not adequate, but she stays at Berakah because she loves the children. “I want to bring a change in our community, I want to [build] a strong foundation.”

Hill has had to cut staff in the past due to monetary shortages and staff

is often back-paid when donations are received.

Despite Berakah’s shortcomings, Mashego claims that children do not often repeat a year. Glenton Magalela, Berakah’s centre manager, receives feedback on children who have gradu-

Photo: DANIELLE PETTERSON ated from the Foundation to primary schools. Feedback is positive and the children go on to be very successful.

“Berakah plays a big role in children’s lives; it helps them out a lot.

They are very [happy] to come here,” said Mashego.

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

5

The importance of Grade R  Narina Nel

T

he Grade R programme at Legora Primary School is currently run by a single educator, Miriam Tsholo. The programme, which was introduced last year, consists of 35 students.

This primary school caters for learners from grade R through to grade 7. The school has over 2000 learners which has led to a problem of overcrowding due to the lack of classroom space. To combat this the Department of Education has supplied the school with a number of containers. One of these containers, the Green Container, has been allocated to Miriam Tsholo and her 35 Grade R students.

Despite the outer appearance of the container, upon entering, you are transported into a bright classroom.

Colourful posters cover the walls, creative crafts and books stock the shelves, and the vibrancy of the learners fills the class.

It is quite remarkable and an enormous challenge for one teacher to be responsible for the entire Grade R group

Tsholo is qualified with matric and Level 4 in Early Child Development (ECD). The passionate teacher says that she finds the job immensely fulfilling because the children listen to her and show her respect, and because she is responsible for providing them with important life skills.

Corrinne Freeman is an Early Childhood Development (ECD) Phase teacher with over 20 years of experience and is the current Head of Grade 00 at Heronbridge College in Johannesburg. Freeman said in the ECD phase children need to develop cognitively, socially and emotionally. She also commented on Tsholo’s situation: “It is quite remarkable and an enormous challenge for one teacher to

be responsible for the entire Grade R group.” Freeman said the toughest obstacles Tsholo would have to overcome would be the absence of other teachers to discuss ideas and solutions with, as well as the emotional attention children require at such a fundamental development phase.

The Grade R learners at Legora come from Zulu and Sepedi homes, so the teaching medium is English to cater for both groups. However, Tsholo said that the language differences can cause some difficulties which is why she wants separate classes. Tsholo feels that being taught in their mother tongue would make learning more effective and beneficial.

However, Freeman seemed confident about the success of the Grade R programme at Legora:“If handled properly, Miriam has the ability to teach all of the children, regardless of their home language,” she said.

Although Tsholo loves her job, the grade R programme at Legora is not exactly the way she would like it to be. She would like to see the programme grow and become more focused. This means there is a need for a bigger budget. The budget they currently have barely covers the basic costs of education and the materials needed to make teaching and learning most effective. Due to this lack of funding, Tsholo believes that parental involvement and support is vital. Parents currently provide their children with materials the school could provide if they had sufficient funds.

The programme has become popular and there is a waiting list of students to be enrolled. “It is a positive programme that fits well with the school’s spirit of improvement,” said Tsholo. The principle of the school, Mohlamme Mathebe said, “Grade R is a must in South African schools.” He insists that in order to eradicate the problem of illiteracy in South Africa Grade R is vital in any school system.

Mathebe has great hopes for the future of Legora. With the help of the government and the efforts of his lone Grade R educator, he hopes to have up to four Grade R classes by 2014.

Miriam Tsholo teaches her Grade R pupils at Legora Primary School.

Photo: NARINA NEL

Indaba enhle nanxa ukubhuqa esikolweni Pieter van der Merwe.

K

wenzeke ukugqekeza okuningi Epfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School, Mamelodi East. Kwantsontsha amakhebuli, futhi kwalimaza izimpahla. Abafundisi bakholwa ukuthi abathintandaba bebenza nje.

UNorman Sebudubudu, umgadi omunye waseskolo, wathi ngesikhathi abathintandaba bangena esikolweni, babhuqa amabhulakubhodi nezimpahla nefanisha namafasitela namaphosta. Kwenzeka kaningi ngamaholide waseskolo. Ngoba,

kwathi du esikolweni ngamaholide, akekho lapho. Ukubhuqa kwezimpahla zaseskolo kuvimbisa abafundi nabafundisi ukusebenzisa amakhompiyutha nezinto ezifanayo.

USebudubudu ucabanga ukuthi ukulondeka kwesiskolo akwanele.

Ucabanga nje ngoba abazali basebafundi basePfunzo Ndi Tshedza abakhokheli imali. Imali yasekolo itholwa ngezipho zomphakathi nazohulumeni phela. USebudubudu usho ukuthi azanele izipho lezi ukulwa abathintandaba. Kanti laziswe

iCommittee Policing Forum (CPF) ngolumeni ngoFebruwari umnyaka lo.

Leli Forum lidala umsebenzi wabagadi abathathu elangeni nabagadi ababili ebusuku.

USebudubudu usho ukuthi ababambekile abathintandaba, emuva balisebenzisele iCPF, kanti bebelisebenzise ngesikashana phela.

USebudubudu uhlale ufise ukuthi iCPF lizovimbisa abathintandaba ngamaholide. Translation: Jaco van Niekerk

University of Pretoria aids pipe burst victims  Maxwell Kamlongera

S

taff and students from The University of Pretoria’s (UP) Mamelodi Campus, offered help to victims of the pipe burst in the Phomolong settlement.

The pipe burst on 20 August, and resulted in the death of three children.

The flood caused parts of Solomon Mahlangu Drive to be temporarily closed. Since the incident the burst water pipe has been repaired but approximately 3 500 people have been left displaced.

Christine Kraamwinkel, an assistant lecturer at UP’s Mamelodi Campus, has been trying to provide relief with the aid of students, friends and UP personnel.

Kraamwinkel has created a Facebook page called Mamelodi Disaster Relief (20 August 2012). It raises

awareness and gives anyone wishing to make a difference the chance to join and connect with others who seek to help.

Kraamwinkel visited the site after the incident to offer the families affected by the burst pipe donations.

She recalled the reaction of an elderly woman on her first visit to the ruined community. The woman expressed disbelief and gratitude at the amount of help the victims were receiving.

Since then more trips to families have been organised, allowing UP Mamelodi Campus students to visit and interact with the affected residents.

Unemployment in the area makes it difficult for families to start over again, said Kraamwinkel. She urges people to go out and see the damages for themselves.

The area where the pipe burst. Everything was swept away with the flood. Days later there were still pools of water and mud everywhere.

Photo: CHRISTINE KRAAMWINKEL

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The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Spotlight on SOS

Lizo Tom, public relations officer, stands outside the SOS Children’s Village.

Photo: DANIELLE PETTERSON

30 Years of making a difference History and celebrations  Staff writers

T

his year marks the 30th anniversary of the SOS Children‟s villages in South Africa. SOS Children‟s villages have been home to thousands of orphaned and abandoned children since first founded in 1982 in Ennerdale, Johannesburg.

One of the oldest villages was established in 1985 in Mamelodi, Pretoria. The Mamelodi SOS village is currently home to 162 children.

These villages have made an astounding difference in people‟s lives by creating a healthy close-knit family environment for orphans and abandoned children to live and grow up in. The families consist of eight to ten children who live within a supportive village environment with an SOS-mother. Guided by four principles, these homes provide parental care, family ties between brothers and sisters, a safe, secure environment and an extended family bond

throughout the village.

The organisation enjoys a lot of financial sponsorships, but they can never raise enough awareness about the challenges both the children and SOS-mothers face. According to public relations officer, Lizo Tom, raising as much awareness as possible is one of the primary goals for the celebration of the organisation‟s 30th anniversary in South Africa.

He said that it is important for South Africans to know about what the SOS Villages have achieved over the past 30 years as they prepare for a promising future.

A gala evening took place on the 12th of October to celebrate the village‟s 30th anniversary. Dignitaries such as the Ambassador of the Austrian Embassy attended the dinner where Dr Masitha Hoeane, University of Pretoria Arts Director was the guest speaker.

A birthday cake was made for the children to enjoy on the Saturday after the gala dinner.

T

he SOS Villages have made a remarkable difference in people‟s lives over the past 30 years. This is traceable through the inspirational stories of previous SOS children and current employees of the Mamelodi SOS Village.

[the children] are coping with the parent that they have.” “When you see children coming to you and acknowledging that you are there, they know that you are there for them– it means a lot and it changes any negative issue you had,” she said.

Pinkie Sogayise Social worker Pinkie Sogayise gets up every day to do administrative work until the children in the Village arrive home from school. When the children arrive they bring with them the problems one would find in any school or home, but also the unique issues that arise in a community like Mamelodi.

As a social worker in the village Sogayise helps with the admission of new children. This is only done by court order. The social workers inside the village contact external social workers working directly with the community and who refer children to the Village based on specific admission criteria.

Sogayise described her daily life in the Village: “You speak to some of [the children], attend counselling sessions, group work sessions and I also go to the houses to check how

The village raised me up to be who I am today Lizo Tom Public relations officer “The village raised me up to be who I am today,” explained Lizo Tom, Public Relations and Corporate Fundraiser of the Village. Tom was born on 23 February 1985 in the Livingston hospital in Port Elizabeth. He mysteriously arrived at the SOS Village at the age of two and stayed there until he was 19.

In 2005 he decided to look for his biological parents to find the truth about his life and how the SOS Village has helped him achieve his goals. He was shocked by what he

discovered. His mother was allegedly drinking at a shebeen just before she went into labour. At the hospital she used a false identity and abandoned him. Even though it is not clear how he ended up at the Mamelodi Village, Tom is very grateful that he did.

With the support of the village Tom was able to learn English, finish his schooling and study opera. He found success singing at the World Peace Concert in Japan and shared a stage with well-known opera singer Helmut Lotti in Sweden.

He now gives back to the village working as the public relations officer and acting as what he describes as a big brother to the children in the Village. Tom wishes to contribute to every child‟s future just as the SOS Children‟s Village contributed to his.

“I want the children to look beyond me – I want doctors, lawyers and extraordinary musicians.”

Victoria House mother The Villages would not function without the help of the house mothers. Most of the SOS mothers have their own families whom they leave behind to care for those with more

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Enzo James on the jungle gym at the SOS Children’s Village.

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Photo: JANKE TOLMAY

Gontse Majopela soaks up the sun in a tyre.

Photo: JANKE TOLMAY

No father figure leaves boys unsure Gladis Monyebodi prepares for supper while the children are at school.

Photo: ZEENAT PATEL

pressing needs.

Victoria* who has been working as a mother in the Village for over a decade, left her young daughter in the Eastern Cape to care for ten orphaned and abandoned children.

She only has the opportunity to go home every two months. She cares for her family by handling the financial responsibilities.

Victoria feels that although the children can be a handful they bring happiness into her life on a daily basis which makes all of the sacrifices she makes worthwhile.

Nompi James enjoys the outdoors.

Photo: JANKE TOLMAY

for them.

Mhlangu came to the village from Nelspruit in October 2008 to fulfil her dream of working with children.

Like Victoria, she has had to sacrifice living with her child. Mhlangu said it is worth it because working at the village allows her to give her son a better life.

“It takes a lot of work to be a house mother and it is a lot of responsibility. I enjoy it and I love what I do and I would not trade it in for anything,” she said.  Staff writers: Philip Stofberg,

Metha Viljoen, Janke Tolmay & Zeenat Patel

*Victoria did not want to give her surname

Khumpulile Mhlanga Assistant mother Assistant mother at the village and single parent to a one-year-old son, Khumpulile Mhlanga, said that SOS gave her a future. Mhlangu‟s role requires her to live in the village and stand in for the house mothers when they go home.

She described her life as full of children, helping them get ready for school, assisting them with their homework and preparing their meals

House mother Thabile pleased with her children doing their school work.

Photo: LERATO KHUMALO

Tom Aussems The lack of a male role model leaves orphan boys in the SOS Children‟s Village unsure about how to shape their adulthood.

Sixteen year old Andile, or „Trance‟ as he likes to be called, is one of the kids living at the SOS Children‟s Village. For him, as well as a number of his peers, the biggest shortfall in their lives is the lack of a father figure.

When they reach 18, the children in the villages are considered ready to start their adult lives. In Trance‟s case, being one of the older kids in the village, this reality is not far away. However, the road to adulthood and taking care of themselves is not always an easy one. “We‟re trained to make our lives better but without a father figure we [can‟t],” Trance said. He would love to start a family one day but he is not sure how to act like a father, nor does he know how to fix a car or treat a lady.

For Trance the solution was an “initiation.”

An initiation is a traditional inauguration into manhood. For Trance and his peers it is a way of compensating for the gap that their fathers have left behind. In order to become a man the children are required to survive and, amongst other things, fight with sticks. According to the Child and Youth Development Coordinator at the village, Victor Mbinga, boys often feel the need to express their newly acquired manliness which results in

dominant behaviour towards their caregivers and peers.

Mbinga is one of five male staff members at the village. Many of the children - and boys in particular - treat him as a substitute father. Boys often approach him with pressing questions regarding circumcision, initiation and marriage.

“There seems to be a lack of understanding of how to establish [their] own families. Boys do not feel comfortable enough to address these issues with their mothers,” Mbinga said.

Social workers Tresia Mannao and Pinkie Sogayise acknowledged the lack of a father figure in the boys‟ lives. According to them, the boys become very affectionate and often smother the male visitors with questions. Mbinga stated that the children inevitably start enquiring about their biological parents.

Mbinga noted that uncertainty about their parents and their formative years is a sensitive issue to many of the older boys in the village. “The father figure [problem] kills our kids,” said Mbinga. Many teenage boys become rebellious when these issues remain unattended and this often results in them disobeying and mistreating their foster moms.

Mannao and Sogayise remain hopeful about the boys‟ futures, however, saying “Those who are curious enough, teach themselves [how to be an adult].”

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The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Letter from the editor  Danielle Petterson Before being tasked with reporting in Mamelodi I had never even seen the place. I never imagined myself going to Mamelodi, especially not right into the heart of it.

When first hearing our assignment, many of the journalism students were shocked – and some I believe a little scared. We were even more trepidatious after being told not to focus on the negative but find positive, uplifting stories – where do you find a positive story in Mamelodi, right?

Wrong. As you can see by this paper, there are in fact many stories to be found in

Managing editor Philip Stofberg

Mamelodi that don’t only focus on the negative. The sad fact is, bad news sells, and that is why the public is bombarded with negative images of this community. This paper has been set up to serve the community, to show the real Mamelodi – a colourful, vibrant place full of interesting people, many of whom have devoted their lives to helping others.

There are many worthy causes in Mamelodi that need support. It is my dream that future editions of The Mamelodi Voice become a champion for the people of this

community providing them with a platform for their voices to be heard. I hope that this edition highlights the fact that if you take the time to look you will see the positive in any place and that for every problem a solution can be found.

As myself and the rest of The Mamelodi Voice team came to realise, putting together a newspaper is no easy task – especially when starting from scratch. In fact, at the start I found myself wholly unprepared for this daunting challenge. Although this is the third edition of The Mamelodi Voice, every edition is something com-

pletely new for the students who tackle the task from a vantage point of zero experience.

In the end I can honestly say that I have learned a lot and I am sure that the rest of the staff has too. Despite much hard work and many sleepless nights, putting together this edition of The Mamelodi Voice has been a great and invaluable experience. I would like to thank the team members who gave their best and helped make this newspaper a reality.

I hope that you will enjoy reading the interesting stories that fill its pages.

Editorial Staff 2012

Editor Danielle Petterson

Deputy editor Maxwell Kamlongera

Advertising manager Ishmael Mohlabe

News editor Sydney King

Deputy news editor Matthew Hakim

Photo editor Narina Nel

Deputy photo editor Sean Nurse

Chief layout artist Annika Mouton

Chief copy editor Stephanie van der Plank

Layout Artists Anna Lourens Chloé Holenstein Hilton Thom Ilana van Heerden Ischke de Jager Lerato Khumalo Metha Viljoen Nyasha Bosman Pieter van der Merwe Rochandré Kibido Rochelle Jansen Zenna Muller

Copy editors Aimeé Delagey Amy-Mae Campbell Dunja Raschke Liesl de Wet Lidia Wilken Margeaux Erasmus Maxine Twaddle Melissa Kemp Neil Pretorius Ntombi Shilubane Taryn Richmond

Raising The Mamelodi Voice Three years ago the Journalism students of the University of Pretoria (UP) began a reporting project in Mamelodi. Most were new to the area, and many said they felt lost.

This changed quickly when they met the people of Mamelodi, who opened up their hearts and poured out their stories of goodwill, hope and, yes, sometimes heartache.

Since 2010 we have made many friends here. We love coming back to visit the projects, schools and clinics that do so much to uplift and encourage this community.

The Mamelodi Voice is our attempt at giving a voice to the friends we have made along the way. We want to be a place where the efforts – and struggles– of these community heroes can be visible to everyone around them.

However, we are not in the business of providing only free publicity. We do real reporting and photojournalism. Where there is good news, we will tell it. Where

there are problems, we will report on them as well.

Doing reporting in Mamelodi is also a wonderful learning opportunity for our Journalism students.

They get the opportunity to get out of the comfort zone of the classroom and into real-life reporting situations. While this might be uncomfortable, it is the quickest way to learn. We applaud the second year Journalism class of 2012 for their determination and innovation during this reporting project.

To the staff of the Summer 2012 editon of The Mamelodi Voice: you have put together an exceptional publication. You can be proud of the way you worked together as a team. But you should be especially proud of the way you managed to make this a community newspaper.

For in the end The Mamelodi Voice belongs to Mamelodi.  Marenet Jordaan (lecturer)  Prof. Pippa Green (head) UP Journalism Programme

Thanks to the community  Maxwell Kamlongera Everything starts with a word of thanks and I’d like the opportunity to express such gratitude on behalf of the entire newspaper staff towards the institutions that accommodated the University of Pretoria’s (UP) journalism students.

Arrangements were made as to the regions we (the students) would visit and from there it was left to each student’s discretion as to where to proceed.

With help and reference from the individuals that make up the community, we were given an enriching opportunity to learn more about the district. Whether it was coming to grips as to how serious tick-bite fever is or better understanding the utilisation of Ubuntu amongst the schools, we weren’t left disappointed, while there were even those amongst us that creatively went the extra mile to find stories

that would even amaze the residents of Mamelodi.

It would be long-winded to point out each and every foundation that played a role but essentially the list is composed of the countless people and organisations mentioned in this paper. Their patience not only started long before the journalism students made their first visits but it continued long after the students left and instead it was now the staff of the paper doing follow-ups on individual beats.

Many thanks goes to these institutions and the individuals of the community who made each article and photo a possibility. I now look to the future and hope that the collaboration between these establishments and UP’s Journalism Programme can continue and that more initiatives between UP and Mamelodi can emerge.

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Annakie Human and Rheece Moonjava, stand in front of one of their artworks at Viva Village in Lusaka.

David Aphane speeds past a colorfully painted house.

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Lewele Joseph and Lucas Seleme sit in the sun and enjoy the art around them.

Another house that was transformed into a work of art outside the Viva Village.

Moshumi Street in Lusaka, where the artists have painted colorful pictures on some of the houses.

Colourful Mamelodi

Lungile Masheba stands at the entrance of her house in Viva Village.

Some of the houses in the Lusaka settlement have been transformed from being just another house in a row of so many to a work of art. Annakie Human and Rheece Moonjava, volunteers at the Viva Village, have painted colourful works of art on nine houses in Mamelodi. According to Annakie the idea behind this initiative is to create something out of the ordinary that will attract tourists and benefit the community. The artists want tourists to come and view the art and leave donations to the owners of the houses.

Photos: LIDIA WILKEN

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The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Animal diseases need not be deadly

Puppy Julius at Mamelodi Animal Health Clinic, diagnosed with a progressed form of tick-bite fever.

Photo: ANELDA MARX  Margeaux Erasmus

Symptoms of tick-bite fever          

Fever Lameness Loss of appetite Vomiting and diarrhoea Coughing Excessive salivating Sudden pain in your dog's legs or body Swelling in your dog's joints Lethargy Depression

T

ick infestations are a big problem in Mamelodi. This is because they are found in the environment where residents live and keep their pets, according to Dr Cherrie Liebenberg, head of the Mamelodi Animal Health Clinic (MAHC).

Tick-bite fever is a blood-born parasite that enters an animal‟s blood stream when the animal is bitten by a tick carrying this disease. The parasite then uses the red blood cells to grow, divide and multiply. It does this by causing one red blood cell to explode before moving on to others.

“So what you end up with is a dog with no blood. It is a horrendous, painful and horrible way to die, to put it mildly,” said Liebenberg.

“Mamelodi is pretty much riddled with ticks,” she said, but added that

there is no reason why dogs should die from tick-bite fever. “It is completely preventable. All you have to do is keep the ticks off your dog.”

The MAHC aids dog owners in preventing diseases such as tick bite fever by providing them with the means to regularly dip their dogs at the clinic. Dipping is a preventative method that keeps ticks from jumping onto the animals for approximately seven to ten days. Liebenberg said, “We are trying to keep the dip-tank free [of charge]. There is just no reason not to bring your dogs and have them dipped.”

According to Liebenberg her four main projects at the MAHC are tickbite fever, worms, parvovirus (parvo) and distemper. She said that these diseases are prevented through dipping, vaccinations and de-worming.

“We should not be seeing these issues,” she said, “and unfortunately

Mamelodi is full up on all of [these].”

Parvo is a highly contagious virus that attacks dividing cells in the animal‟s body resulting in a lowered immune system. Distemper is caused by a virus that is similar to human measles. It is also life-threatening and easily preventable through vaccinations. The MAHC provides vaccinations for both of these diseases.

Rabies can be prevented by vaccinations offered by the MAHC. Dr Quixi Sonntag from the University of Pretoria‟s Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, said that rabies is by far the most fatal disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Rabies is transmitted by the infected dog‟s saliva. Dogs with rabies often behave unusually, typically becoming intensely aggressive.

“The dog dies within a few days of showing symptoms, [but] for people it is a slow and horrible death and it can take months before people show the symptoms of the disease after having been bitten,” she added. If people receive immediate treatment at a hospital after being bitten by a rabid dog there is a chance of survival. The only way to diagnose the disease in dogs is by way of a special test done on the brain of the deceased dog.

Rabies is a controlled disease which means all cases have to be reported to the government through the veterinary or medical state departments depending on whether the carrier is an animal or human.

To prevent rabies, owners need to vaccinate their dogs when they are approximately three months old and again before a year of age. From then on vaccinations every three years will be sufficient. “A simple vaccination can save the lives of people,” Sonntag said. The dog vaccine is cheap and often given free of charge by state veterinarians. However, it is more complicated and much more expensive to vaccinate people. Therefore the best way to prevent rabies is to vaccinate dogs.

“That is one of the things we are really trying to drive home: That prevention is better than cure,” Liebenberg said. “We are looking at primary health care and these are easily preventable diseases.”

Symptoms of rabies 

Initial symptoms include behaviour and personality changes such as fearfulness, anxiety, shyness and withdrawal.

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Symptoms progress to restlessness, agitation and overreaction to sights and sounds.



These lead to full-blown aggression, then disorientation followed by seizures.

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Dogs may experience paralysis in the head and neck area.

This causes inability to swallow, resulting in excess salivation or foaming at the mouth.

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After this death soon follows.

Dog diseases  Worms:

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The blood cells of puppy Julius show that he has tick-bite fever.

Photo: ANELDA MARX

Joe Masinga's pet dog, Bushka, who has ovarian cancer. Her ribs stick out because of the disease.

Photo: MARGEAUX ERASMUS

Parasites that infect the canine intestines. The most common types of worms are Hookworms, Roundworms, Tapeworms and Whipworms. Owners should de-worm their dogs regularly. It is also good practise to remove canine faeces frequently from the yard.

Distemper: Very similar to the measles virus that affects humans.

Distemper is a very serious viral disease in dogs. The distemper vaccine should be administered every 3 to 4 weeks, from 6 to 16 weeks of age with subsequent annual boosters.

Parvovirus: A virus that could attack the intestines of any canine species. Puppies are especially susceptible to the disease and it can result in death. Easily preventable through vaccination. First vaccination should be administered at 6 weeks and then at 9 and 12 weeks.

Annual booster shots are then advised for general pet health.

Rabies: A fatal disease that affects all warm-blooded animals.

It is spread through saliva and may be prevented through vaccinations at 3 to 6 months.

Hepatitis: A highly contagious viral infection which affects the liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, and eyes in dogs.

Puppies under the age of a year are vulnerable to this and should receive a vaccination as early in its life as possible. Annual revaccination is often recommended.

The Mamelodi Voice

How to care for your dog Feeding  An all round balanced diet consists of six parts: protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals and water.

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The dog food you buy should be labelled „complete and balanced‟.

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Feed your dog twice a day.

Ensure your dog always has fresh, clean water.

Vaccinations  Vaccinations and booster shots will help keep your dog safe and healthy.

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Yearly vaccinations include those for the more common fatal diseases.

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All-in-one shots will generally protect your dog from distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza and parvovirus. Depending on local risks, protection from coronavirus, leptospirosis and Lyme disease may also be included.

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Ask your vet about heartworm testing and prevention

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A rabies shot will be needed every few years.

SUMMER 2012

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A helping paw  Hilton Thom

P

eople donating blood is a common occurrence. However, blood donors can also be found in the form of man‟s best friend - the domestic dog. Like humans, animals often need blood transfusions.

Canine blood transfusions are needed in a variety of cases; most often through loss of blood from injuries in road accidents or dog fighting.

Other cases include instances of blood poisoning and immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia where the immune system attacks the red blood cells.

In this case, a constant flow of new blood is needed to prevent fatal anaemia while treatment is at work.

The Mamelodi Animal Health Clinic (MAHC) has become the provider of this much needed animal healthcare to the pets of Mamelodi.

Most veterinarians rely on their own resources in the procurement of life-saving blood. Internet sites such as dogblooddonors.com provide vets with an online database of potential canine blood donors. Registrations are similar to those of the South African

National Blood Service (SANBS) in human medicine, as dogs, like people, become certified and frequent donors.

In the case of the MAHC, they have a number of Greyhounds serving as their frequent donors. The dogs work on six week rotations and live with the veterinary science students at the University of Pretoria‟s Onderstepoort campus. They provide the blood needed by the clinic‟s patients.

Greyhounds are the preferred breed, not only for racing, but also for the task of donation.

Greyhounds are ideally suited to the work of blood donation as they have a unique physiological trait in their blood. They are the dog-equivalent of the „universal‟ Type O blood type found in humans. This blood type is

found within 70% of the Greyhound species. Their blood has a higher red blood cell count than other dogs have, as well as a lower count of white blood cells and platelets.

The blood is collected from both sedated and non-sedated animals. Dr Cherrie Liebenberg, a veterinarian at MAHC, treats Greyhounds that have a calm temperament, allowing for nonsedated donation. Standard human blood bags are used along with syringes containing anti-coagulant. A normal donation is 450ml, the equivalent of „One Canine Unit‟. This can safely be obtained from a 25kg dog.

Smaller breeds may also contribute smaller amounts if the need arises.

Larger breeds, such as the St Bernard and Irish Wolfhound are able to contribute three bags at a time.

Greyhounds are the preferred breed, not only for racing, but also for the task of donation. Humans are regularly asked to provide this lifesaving service for their fellow man, but sometimes the pet‟s need for blood donations is forgotten.

If you would like to find out more about the process or whether your dog is an eligible donor, contact the MAHC at 012 842 3451 or get in touch with your nearest vet clinic.

Dog blood donation 

Dogs, like humans, have various blood groups. There are eight blood types to which donors and recipients should ideally match.

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The ideal donor should be a friendly, healthy, clinically normal animal that is not pregnant nor has produced a litter, if it is a female.

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All donors must be vaccinated, but not within 10-14 days of donation.

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The dogs should be free of infections, parasites and blood- born diseases such as tick-bite fever.

Sleeping arrangements  Your dog should have shelter from sun, rain and wind.

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Make sure your dog has a warm place to sleep in winter and a cool place in summer.

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If you have a doghouse your dog should be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably in it.

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Bedding should be washed weekly in hot water to remove odours and kill parasites such as fleas and their eggs.

Gareth Cronje, a first year BSc Natural and Biological Science student, examines one of the puppies for tick-bite fever.

Photo: ANELDA MARX

Dog-proofing your yard  Make sure you have a sturdy fence around your yard with no way for your dog to escape.

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Your dog shouldn‟t be able to jump over it, dig under it or squeeze through a hole.

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Don‟t tie your dog up with chains, wire or thick rope.

This can hurt your dog.

Joe Masinga shows off his chow puppy, Sam, after facial reconstructive surgery.

Photo: NICOLENE OELOFSE

Grooming  Regularly brushing your dog‟s hair keeps it from matting and keeps skin healthy by stimulating blood flow and distributing natural oils.

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Trim your dog‟s nails and often check your dog‟s paws for cuts.

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Dogs don‟t need to be bathed regularly - only when they become dirty or smelly. Use dog shampoo or human baby shampoo. If you want to bathe your dog more than once a month: use a soap-free or moisturizing shampoo to prevent the skin from becoming dry.

Puppy, Lucifer, recovers from diarrhoea, caused by unhealthy circumstances at home.

Photo: ANELDA MARX

Dr Cherrie Liebenberg, a veterinarian, works at the Mamelodi Animal Health Clinic.

Photo: NICOLENE OELOFSE

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The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

The under-13 (red) and under-11 (blue) players enjoying a practice game at Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School.

Photo: SEAN NURSE

A group of schoolchildren crowd the windowpane from inside their grade four English classroom at A boy finishes his lunch at the Viva Village day care centre.

Photo: NATALIE THOMPSON

Legora Primary School.

Photo: ILANA VAN HEERDEN

Student nurse Adelaide Se/okelo speaking to Auntie Dina at the Frail Care wing of the Mamelodi Society for Care of the Aged.

Photo: NEIL PRETORIUS

A client pays Noah Chaya for fried chicken legs.

Photo: ANNIKA MOUTON

Tshepo Mahlanti and fellow students line up to receive their afternoon snacks of oranges at Legora Primary School.

Photo: TARYN RICHMOND

A local resident with his dog about to receive treatment at the Mamelodi Animal Health Clinic.

Photo: NICOLENE OELOFSE

Jacquoline Senoamadi, a kitchen staff volunteer at Legora Primary School, prepares to hand out oranges to pupils as they leave school.

Photo: SYDNEY KING

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

13

Cultivating plants empowers community  Annika Kirbis

G

reen areas planted for food production or recreational purposes are scarce in Mamelodi. This makes the existence of a school garden in the Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School quite remarkable. Since 2006 food and medicinal plants have been grown in the area around the school building.

The lack of green areas in Mamelodi make planting and cultivating quite challenging. “Overcrowding as well as a hot and dry climate result in water scarcity and lack of space,” explained Jacob Mabe, the principal of the school. Moreover, illegal waste burning and garbage dumping abuses many of the public green areas.

“Our school garden is open to [the] neighbours and constitutes,

therefore, a service to the community,” said Mabe. He said that the school is somewhat dependent on the engagement of neighbours for maintenance.

Indigenous plants are preferable to exotic plants

The harvest provides for the school kitchen as much as possible and is also distributed amongst, or sold to, the people within the com-

munity. This is important in light of the widespread malnutrition of many children in Mamelodi, resulting from the poor socio-economic circumstances. Many children receive their only meal of the day at school. Some are orphans, and in an especially precarious nutritional state.

Ben Mashele, the coordinator of the school garden, said teaching the children the skills necessary to grow edible plants may positively affect their overall nutrition.

Indigenous plants are preferable to exotic plants. Mashele explains that indigenous plants have an advantage because they require far less water through their alignment with the South African climate conditions.

They also require less maintenance.

Next to the garden of edible plants a smaller section is reserved for plants with medicinal usage. Many families cannot afford medicine at all, making access to medicinal plants important to their overall health care.

On a walk through the school garden, Mashele explained that the „chips‟ and „kulufulu‟ plants are grown because of their robustness and vast usage against infections and the flu.

Dried up plants, garbage in the plant beds and ripe fruits that have not been harvested, cause large parts of the school garden to appear abandoned. Mabe pointed to issues with personnel that have made keeping the garden on track problematic.

He stated that they have voted for

a new garden committee with Mashele as main coordinator, and is positive they will work hard.

Currently a handful of gardeners, consisting of occasional supporters from the community and pupils of the seventh grade, take care of the vast school garden.

“Obviously, the school garden cannot be prioritized over more salient issues, like [education] or infrastructure,” admitted Mashele.

He said that they try to acquire enough resources necessary to keep the garden going with the help of sponsors. Mabe agreed: “We won‟t let the school garden down. Teaching gardening skills is our contribution to mitigate the impact of malnutrition and rising food prices.”

Garden of hope  Bronwyn Currin

A

stroke survivor has found a way to support his family by growing spinach and making furniture at Viva Village in the Alaska informal settlement in Lusaka, Mamelodi East.

Stephen Lehoko was born in Evaton, Vereeniging, where he grew up and started a family of his own.

However, after suffering a stroke all he could do to support his family was to plant and tend to his own tomatoes and spinach.

His circumstances changed in January of this year when his brother, Ishmael, a taxi- driver in Mamelodi, discovered Viva Village.

According to missionary Leon Kriel, CEO of Viva Foundation, Viva follows the example of the Roman Catholic missions. The centres behind high walls looked like paradise; a strategy that invited people in to absorb and learn from their beauty.

Viva Village however, is not behind high walls. It is a fenced-off area, about the size of a soccer field, with grass, trees and flowers that do not otherwise appear amidst the shacks of Alaska.

“A people are only informal until

they get themselves organised. Then they become a community,” said Kriel, citing Stephen and Ishmael as good examples.

Kriel‟s wife Meleney, Chairperson and Fund Development Manager of Viva Foundation, said that the brothers showed up one day without demands and ready to work. They have each been given a spinach garden to oversee.

A people are only informal until they get themselves organised. Then they become a community The kitchen uses the spinach grown for V-Food, a programme that feeds Viva‟s Day Care children and orphan families. Stephen and Ishmael can eat or sell what is left over from the

garden. They also receive V-Food meals – as does everybody who works on the premises and is present at mealtime.

Stephen and Ishmael are at Viva Village every day. When they are not tending the vegetable gardens, they are in the carpentry workshop. Here they learn woodwork skills and business knowledge from Kriel as part of Viva‟s Enterprise Development Programme.

The brothers are encouraged to take orders for furniture from the community and begin selling while they are still training.

Meleney Kriel hopes that this kind of approach will cause the entire community of Alaska to benefit. “The more people in the neighbourhood that earn money, [the more] the place will come alive,” she concluded.

For Leon Kriel it is all about standing back and letting the Viva initiatives run on their own. He hopes that through the training he provides, Stephen and Ishmael will learn the skills, safety procedures and business knowledge needed to become workshop managers and factory owners.

Stephen Lehoko tends the spinach garden at Viva Village in Lusaka.

Photo: BRONWYN CURRIN

Grow your own vegetables at home

Stephen Lehoko clears away weeds and dead plants in the spinach garden.

Photo: BRONWYN CURRIN

Spring vegetables:

Summer vegetables:

Beetroot Baby Marrows Carrots Cucumbers Potatoes Lettuces Peppers Tomatoes Peas

Beetroot Cabbage Cauliflower Carrots Cucumber Lettuces Squash Sweet corn

1. Find a spot that gets plenty of sunlight that isn‟t near other plants and trees. If your veggies are planted near other plants, they compete for nutrients from the soil and water.

2. The area where you want to grow your veggies should be a space of 5x4 metres. This is large enough to grow a good variety of vegetables and herbs.

3. Mark out where your walkways are going to be.

Lay a network of pathways that are about 1,2m apart. This allows you to move around your garden, without standing on your plants.

4. Prepare the soil for planting. Turn the soil between the pathways with a garden fork to a depth of 25cm. Remove all stones, weeds and rubbish.

Make sure the soil is broken up, then add compost, manure and slow release veggie fertiliser (optional) to the turned soil.

5. Work the compost and manure into the ground.

You want soil consistency that is not too sandy, but also not clumpy. Your veggie patch is now ready for planting.

6. Head to your local garden shop to purchase seeds for various herbs and vegetables. If you want to save money you can plant a tomato into the ground and tomatoes will grow.

Veggies like butter lettuce also keep growing when it is in the soil. You can also remove the seeds from peppers or chillies and plant it in your garden.

14

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Poetry Competition My Dream

1

I dream to be someone special, someone kind, someone that wants to bring happiness into the world and make it a better place for everyone in it.

Some one strong, Some one fearless, Some one brave, Some one who would happily risk her life to save another.

Some one who will be well known for her braveness and kindness.

I will help the poor, I will give hope to those who don’t have any left in them I won’t be a goddess or a queen but I will just be someone trying to make a difference.

Editor’s Note The staff members of this edition of The Mamelodi Voice decided to hold a poetry competition for the learners of various Mamelodi primary schools, after the success of last year’s competition. Learners from Meetse-a-Bophelo, Legora and Zakhele Primary Schools were invited to contemplate their futures in a poem entitled “My Dream”. The poems were unique, creative works and learners impressed the staff with their use of English. Out of the 76 poems that were entered, a winner was selected from each school from which an overall winner was chosen. All the winners received stationery hampers.

Honorary Mention My Poem My dog ate my homework.

That mischievous pup got hold of my homework and ate it up.

My dog ate my homework. its going to be late I guess that the teacher will just have to wait.

I will be a normal person like you but with the gift of making others happy.

That my dream!

Whats yours?

My dog ate my homework He swallowed it whole I shouldn’t have mixed it with his food in his bowl.

By Hobukhosi Ndlovu Zakhele Primary School

Lesego Koshane Zakhele Primary School

My dream

2

When I dream is like a black and white paradise, but when I wake-up the sky is so blue and so clear When I sleep I see money in my hand, but when I wake-up its gone.

When I sleep I see everybody being so nice, but when I wake up everybody is shouting for no reason.

I dream about Mom and dad holding me, but when I wake-up they are gone.

I dream flying like an angel, but when I wake-up I have no wings.

My dream is my dream it can’t be anyone’s, My dream is like a fairytale that never ended and never been told.

By Phoku Magdaline Popina Legora Primary School

My dream

3

My dream, my dream I always get this visions of being a lawyer, I sometimes get happy, sad there after I don’t know where I will end up being something special, but I know this is what I want My passion, my mission and vision I know I am supportive I can be a lawyer I know I am innocent I can be a lawyer Changing lives in Africa Changing things in my poverty stricken country I will be there for my people I will be there for my country, My dream, My dream!!

By Mande Mamatshele Meetse-a-Bophelo Primary School

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Go For Gold

15

Children’s views on the Olympics

Our Olympic and Paralympic heroes

Kgothatso Mohale: “What I learnt from athletics is that you do not have to drink a lot of water before running. Also you do not have to give up during the race.”

Lazarus Manyaka: “I liked the way South Africa performed, more especially because they brought something home. They did not just go there without having to return with a medal.”

Mologadi Maluleke: “I watched athletics and I liked the way Caster Semenya has been improving. I want to be like her and run with the same pace she has – that is my dream. And I would like to send a message to her that she should hold on, stand firm, and keep it up.”

Mandisa Ledwaba: “I watched athletics because I would like to see myself representing South Africa around the world one day.

A South African athlete who I was inspired by watching is Caster Semenya - she has a good pace.”

Caster Semenya

Photo: LAUREN MULLIGAN(Foto24)

Caster Semenya was born on 7 January 1991 in Polokwane. She won silver in the women’s 800m at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Achmat Hassiem Photo: HERMAN VERWEY (Foto24) Achmat Hassiem was born on 6 May 1982 in Cape Town. His right leg was severed by a four-and-a-half meter long great white shark in 2006. He has since been nicknamed Sharkboy. The swimmer won bronze in the men’s 100m butterfly at the Paralympics.

Oscar Pistorius

Poballo Kekana: “I play football and was inspired by the Olympiads in that I dream to see myself going around the world to represent the country I live in.”

Cameron van der Burgh (left) and Chad le Clos.

Bridgitte Hartley Photo: LISA HNATOWICZ (Foto24) Bridgette Hartley was born on 14 July 1983 and grew up in Johannesburg. Bridgette won a bronze medal in the 500m women’s kayak singles at the 2012 Olympics.

Photo: HERMAN VERWEY (Foto24)

Also known as the Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius was born on 22 November 1986 in Johannesburg. He secured gold in the men’s 400m, setting a new Paralympic record and was part of the gold medal winning 4x100m relay team who set a new world record. The runner went on to win silver in the men’s 200m, setting a new world record in the semi-final.

This year Oscar became the first double leg amputee to compete in the Olympics when he entered the men’s 400m race and was part of the 4x400m relay team.

Photo: FELIX DLANGAMANDLA (Foto24) LEFT: Cameron van der Burgh was born on 25 May 1988 in Pretoria. Cameron won a gold medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke at the 2012 Olympic Games. His time of 58.83 seconds was a new Olympic record.

RIGHT: Chad le Clos was born on 12 April 1992 in Durban. He won gold in the men’s 200m butterfly, setting a new South African record. The swimmer also secured a silver medal in the men’s 100m butterfly.

Natalie du Toit was born 29 January 1984 in Cape Town. Her left leg was amputated at the knee in 2001 after she was hit by a car while riding her scooter. She won gold in the women’s 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle and 100m butterfly. The swimmer also secured a silver medal in the 100m freestyle.

Natalie became the first ever amputee to qualify for the Olympics.

Natalie du Toit.

Photo: HERMAN VERWEY (Foto24)

16

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Entertainment 2 4

1 7 8 3 2

3 9

1

How to Play Sudoku

6 8 6

3 5

3

4 6 7

9 2

9

2 8 1

9 1 4 3 6

6 5

A Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9 × 9 square grid subdivided into nine 3 × 3 boxes. Some of the squares contain numbers. The object is to fill in the remaining squares so that every row, every column, and every 3 × 3 box contains each of the numbers from 1 to 9 exactly once. Solving a Sudoku puzzle involves pure logic.

No math skills or guesswork are needed.

Did you know?    

Down:

Across:

1. Where can you take your dogs or cats if they are ill?

3. On what continent is Mamelodi?

6. Well-known soccer player from Mamelodi.

7. What municipality is Mamelodi part of?

10. How many official languages does South Africa have?

11. This newspaper is called the Mamelodi __________?

12. The administrative capital of South Africa.

13. In what city is Table Mountain found?

16. The South African currency.

17. Soccer team from Mamelodi

2. What World Cup did South Africa host in 2010?

4. Name of a mountain near Mamelodi.

5. Name the street where the University of Pretoria's Mamelodi campus is found.

8. What word means "Mother of Melodies"?

9. Who is the science reading room named after on Mamelodi campus?

14. Where can orphans be virtually adopted in Mamelodi?

Note: If an answer is more than one word leave an open block between the words.

15. Tourists go to the Kruger National Park to see these animals.

18. In which province is Mamelodi situated?

19. How many provinces are in South Africa?

20. What type of competition did this newspaper host?

21. South Africa's national soccer team.

  

The Kruger National Park is home to the greatest variety of wildlife species in Africa.

The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world. The Grand Canyon in America is the largest and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia is the second largest.

The only street in the world to be home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners is in Soweto. Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both have houses on Vilakazi Street.

South Africa is the only country in the world to have hosted the Soccer, Cricket and Rugby World Cup. Three of the five fastest land animals live in South Africa: the cheetah (98km/h), the wildebeest (80km/h), and the lion (80km/h).

The oldest remains of modern humans were found in Klasies River Cave in the Eastern Cape.

They are over 100 000 years old.

The world’s first heart transplant was done in South Africa in 1967 by Dr Chris Barnard.

Jokes & riddles Q. What’s the difference between a new husband and a new dog?

A. After a year, the dog is still excited to see you.

Q. What’s blue and smells like red paint?

A. Blue paint.

Q. It is greater than God and more evil than the devil. The poor have it, the rich need it and if you eat it you’ll die. What is it?

A. Nothing. Nothing is greater than God, nothing is more evil than the devil, the poor have nothing, the rich need nothing and if you eat nothing you’ll die.

Q. Until I am measured I am not known, yet how you miss me when I have flown.

A. Time.

By: Simon-Kai Garvie

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

17

Go fa thušo go ditšhuwana le bahloki S

 Masego Ramathoka

tanza Bopape Community Centre e dira pharalogano ya bophelo go bana bao ba hlokang.

E ba thuša kudu ka tša thuto, ga mmogo le tša maphelo mo Mamelodi.

Bana bao ba hlokang, ke bao e lego ditšhiwana le bao ba dulang ba nnoši go sena batho ba bagolo go ba hlokomela. Bontsi bja bona, ga bana mangwalo a boitsibišo le a matswalo.

Ga ba kgone go hwetša thušo mmušong ka mokgwa wa mphiwafela.

Ba bangwe ba bathuši ba bana mo motseng ga ba kgone go ba hlokomela ka mo golekaneng ka baka la hlaelelo ya mašeleng. Bjale mokgatlho o lemogile gore bana ga ba na kgotlelelo ka diphaphošing, ebile go na le go šalela morago dithutong tša bona.

Lebo Ratlhagana ke o mongwe wa baithaupi sekolong sa Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School. Ratlhagana o lemogile gore ba dirile phetogo e kgolo maphelong a barutuana ba bangwe.

Go ya ka Ratlhagana, bana ba be ba sa tle gabotse dithutong tša tlalaletšo e be bontša o ka re ke tša bana bao ba dulago ka fase ga bahlokomdi ebile bao ba hlokang fela leba humanegi. Bjale barutwana ba, ba fetogile ka morago ga gofiwa tlhahlo ke mokgatlo, le baithaupi ba go swana le Ratlhagana.

Bana ba, ba kgona go bopa kgwerano le tshepo go mokgatlho.

Ba bangwe ba bana ba go swana le ba, ke bao ba ka welago ga bonolo dikotsing tša go swana le diokobatši le madila.

Ditlamorago tsa dikotsi tsa go swana le tseo di ka dira gore bana ba be le maitshwaro a sa swanelago bjale ka go lwa, go utswa, go homola kudu, go bolefa maoka le go hloka taolo - ge ba le sekolong goba mo motseng Ratlhagana o ile a hlaloša a re,

Barupwana ba bala buka ko sekolong sa Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary.

“Barutiši ka batho ba tlwaetše go bona maitswaro a bjale. Barutuwana ba ga ba dire mošomo wa gae ebile ga ba itapiše ka go fetša tšeo ba laetšwego gore ba di dire gae.”

Mathata a go swana le a, a tlišwa ke go hloka ga ba thuši gae. Baithaupi

ba thuša bana go dira mošomo wa gae le go bafa dithuto tša tlaleletšo ka nako ya manthapama. Ba raloka le bona meralako ya go ba thabiša gore ba kgone go theelefetša ka phaphošing.

Bana ba ba fiwa dijo ka nako yeo.

Photo: JACQUES MYBURGH Ratlhagana o lemogile gore ba bangwe ba bona ke dijo tša go lalela.

Ka go dira bjalo Ratlhagana ore baithaupi ba dira go tletše seatla ka gobane bana ba fetogile ebile ba humane legae le borutho sekolong.

Morutši sekolong sa Pfunzo Ndi

Tshedza LNJ Jiyane o hlatsetše se sebotse seo se dirwago ke mokgatlho mo sekolong. Jiyane o boletše gore barutwana ba kaone kudu dithutong tša bona. O leboga mokgatlo ka gobane o dirile gore mošomo wa bona o be bobebe kudu.

Bibliotekaris bou leerlinge se toekoms  Erene Oberholzer

D

ie Mae Jemison U.S Science Reading Room is waar die bibliotekaris, Prince Mavundla, gevind kan word. Met sy liefde vir Mamelodi wat vanaf sy geboorte kom, wil Mavundla homself nog ’n hele ruk lank hier vestig.

Die leeskamer, geborg deur die Amerikaanse ambassade is op die Mamelodikampus van die Universiteit van Pretoria. Dit akkomodeer 50 tot 150 kinders per dag met die doel om leerlinge se vaardighede in wiskunde en wetenskap te bevorder.

Hoërskoolleerlinge van Mamelodi het die geleentheid om na die leeskamer te gaan en van die fasiliteite gebruik te maak. Daar is akademiese programme wat Woensdae tot Vrydae aangebied word.

Rekenaars met internet en ’n kamer met allerhande wiskundige en wetenskaplike speletjies is tot die kinders se beskikking. “Ons wil kinders die kans bied om ingenieurs, dokters of rekenmeesters te word,” het Mavundla gesê.

Die leeskamer het baie streng reëls vir die kinders. Die rekenaars mag slegs gebruik word vir akademiese werk. Mavundla het gesê die leerlinge moet werk en nie “in die hoekie rondsit nie”. Dit gebeur dat die leer-

linge musiek van die internet wil aflaai, of soms speletjies speel. Dit word nie toegelaat nie. “Kinders is hier om hulle opvoeding te verbeter en ek is baie ernstig daaroor,” sê hy.

Ek het die geleentheid gekry om iets te doen met my lewe en ek wil dieselfde vir die kinders hê

Mavundla het self nie op skool presteer in wiskunde en wetenskap nie, maar hy wil graag sien hoe kinders met die vakke hul toekoms bou.“Ek wil handig wees vir Mamelodi en vir die kinders. Ek het die geleentheid gekry om iets te doen met my lewe en ek wil dieselfde vir die kinders hê.”

Mavundla geniet sy werk as bibli-

otekaris. “My persoonlike doelwit is om eendag my eie biblioteek oop te maak in Mamelodi,” sê hy. “Ek is lief vir Mamelodi en ek geniet dit om met kinders te werk.” Mavundla is ook tans besig om Inligtingkunde aan Unisa te studeer.

Met sy werk en sy studies, is Mavundla se skedule baie vol. In die oggende werk hy by Laerskool Meetse -A-Bophelo se biblioteek, en smiddae by die leeskamer. “Ek leer oor naweke en in die aande. Ek is baie besig. Ek het by my vriend gaan kuier, toe vra hy my waar ek die laaste drie maande was,” het Mavundla vertel oor sy skedule.

Ten spyte van Mavundla se besige program staan hy graag tyd af aan die kinders. Hy speel Vrydae saam met hulle basketbal.

Volgens Amy Canby, organiseerder van die leeskamer, is Mavundla ’n groot aanwins vir die leeskamer.

“Hy is baie goed met die kinders en kom goed oor die weg met hulle.”

Mavundla wil graag sien hoe die leeskamer oor tien jaar ontwikkel. “Ek sal die plek wil sien as ’n dubbelverdieping met die hoop om sewe skole se leerlinge te kan ontvang. Verbeel jou ons kan al die kinders van Mamelodi akkomodeer.”

Prince Mavundla, bibliotekaris van die Mae Jemison-leeskamer.

Photo: DANIELLE PETTERSON

18

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

Lifting literacy levels

The Mae Jemison U.S. Science Reading Room is a FREE math and science library for Mamelodi-area secondary students.

-Over 3,000 books, magazines, & DVDs -Internet computers -Science programs on Wednesdays -Games and interactive displays -Over 1,000 members and growing!

Our programs include: · Hands-on workshops in science, math, and technology; · Talks on careers in science by local and international experts; · Tutoring and English language programs

Peter Mahlantu, Sam Mafude, Sipho Fesima and Busi Lehluwa learn together in the library at Legora Primary School.

Photo: TARYN RICHHMOND  Marina Gemeliaris

L

egora Primary School is working with government, the University of Pretoria and nongovernmental organisations to improve literacy levels amongst its learners.

Principal of Legora, Mohlamme Mathebe, said since the school’s es-

tablishment it has struggled to increase the pass rates of learners. He attributes the high failure rates directly to poor literacy skills amongst his pupils which he feels reflects the poverty that is seen in the community. The biggest obstacle learners’ face, Mathebe believes, is the lack of educational support they receive from parents because the parents themselves are unable to read and write.

Community Corner Mamelodi Animal Health Clinic

Mamelodi Law Clinic

Mon-Fri: 9:00 - 14:30 Address: University of Pretoria Mamelodi Campus, All welcome:  Vaccination against rabies at a small charge  Dip tank for ticks & rabies for free  Sterilisation & castration  Advice: all aspects of raising puppies & answers to any questions/enquiries

Mon-Fri: 08:00 -16:00 Tel: 012 842 3631 Fax: 012 842 3763

Mamelodi Society for Care of the Aged Mon-Fri: 10:00 - 16:00 Tel: 012 7510 193 Volunteers wanted: cleaning / laundry / cooking / any specific skills. Volunteers for 1 hour a week

Address: University of Pretoria Mamelodi Campus, Cnr Solomon Mahlangu & Hinterland Legal aid is given to clients over a broad spectrum of matters including divorces, maintenance, evictions, debt review, contractual and delictual disputes.

Clients need to qualify through a means test in order to be assisted, and clients are not charged for services rendered but qualifying clients are liable to pay for disbursements such as sheriff fees.

Crossword

Solutions: Sudoku

For more information, check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MJRRpretoria

Or email us at mjrrpretoria@gmail.com

The school places an emphasis on “developing in learners the ability to handle information confidently and correctly.” Numerous initiatives have been introduced to address and improve the inadequate literacy levels.

Quarterly reading competitions, readathons, and Scrabble aim to improve pronunciation comprehension and confidence in the learners. The Thuthukani Youth Project, Extra School Support Programme and the Stanza Bopape Health and Development Centre are also playing a role in combating the literacy problem.

Sarah Sibayoni, a grade three teacher, identifies the language barrier as a fundamental problem to improving literacy. While the school teaches in both Zulu and Sepedi, the learners speak many other languages including foreign languages like Shona and Portuguese. Sibayoni also problematised an insufficient focus on reading and writing in the government given syllabus. “I do more myself because reading is little [in the syllabus],” she said.

Lindiwe Masimula, a grade six learner, spends her Fridays and other free time in the library. She uses the library books to do research for homework and is eager to share her passion for reading. Students like Lindiwe show that success in improving literacy skills can be achieved.

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Across: 2. Fifa 4. Rooiberg 5. Hinterland 8. Mamelodi 9. Dr Mae Jemison 14. Viva Village 15. The Big Five 18. Gauteng 19. Nine 20. Poetry 21. Bafana Bafana Down: 1. Mamelodi Animal Health Clinic 3. Africa 6. Themba Mguni 7. Tshwane 10. Eleven 11. Voice 12. Pretoria 13. Cape Town 16. Rand 17. Sundowns

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

19

Recipes Roasted garlic lemon broccoli Ingredients 2 heads broccoli (separated into pieces) 2 teaspoons cooking oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 clove garlic (chopped up) 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice Directions 1.Preheat the oven to 200 ºC. 2. In a large bowl, toss cut up broccoli with the cooking oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Spread the broccoli out in an even layer on a baking sheet.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until broccoli pieces are soft enough to pierce the stems with a fork.

4. Time in the oven: 15 to 20 minutes.

5. When finished in the oven, remove and place on serving platter.

Squeeze lemon juice over the broccoli before serving for a refreshing, tangy finish.

White cabbage and thyme

Children eat a lunch of pap, sweet potato and vegetables at the Viva Village Day Care Centre in Lusaka.

Photo: NATALIE THOMPSON

Feeding scheme nourishes hungry children  Sean Nurse

T

he Stanza Bopape Community Centre runs a feeding scheme at several primary schools in Mamelodi. The centre has many volunteers whose aim is to feed orphaned and vulnerable children.

The community centre was established in 1994 by community members. It is located inside the Stanza Bopape Clinic in Hector Peterson Street, in section eight of Mamelodi. The food given to the children is provided by National Social Services. Supermarket chains such as Shoprite and Pick n Pay also donate food. In addition to providing food, the centre provides some children with school uniforms.

Whole baked cauliflower in tomato sauce

Some of these children are orphans and it is their only food for the day

The Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School’s kitchen staff prepares food brought to the school by Lebogang Ralthagana and her fellow volunteers from the centre. The centre calls its work the “drop-in programme,” which means its volunteers visit various schools, deliver food and assist with homework.

The feeding scheme occurs after school hours and gives 53 children sustenance. “Some of these children are orphans and it is their only food for the day,” said Ralthagana.

An orphaned child does not have parents, but may have a guardian. A vulnerable child is cared for by a relative (who is not a guardian), or is part of a child-headed household.

Children who do not receive social grants may request assistance from the centre. The centre helps them apply for grants, often giving the required references.

“The children are not the only ones who benefit from this pro gramme,” Ralthagana explained.

Ingredients 565ml chicken or vegetable stock ½ a handful of fresh thyme leaves (herbs) 1 white cabbage. Remove outer leaves, halve the cabbage and slice very finely 2 blocks of butter cooking oil salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions 1. Place your stock and thyme in a pan on the stove. Bring to the boil and then sprinkle in your finely sliced cabbage into the pot.

2. Mix it all up, put the lid on the pot and boil well for 5 minutes.

3. Turn the heat down to a simmer and continue to cook until the cabbage is a pleasure to eat.

4. Top up the stock a little bit if you feel it’s reducing too much (If you want more liquid) 5. Add the butter, a little bit of cooking oil, season with salt and pepper and serve right away.

Mokgadi Makgopa, a kitchen staff member and Thuthukani volunteer, cleans the kitchen at Legora Primary School.

Photo: SYDNEY KING “Sometimes, when the community centre has spare food parcels, we send [them home] with the children.

Then the people at home can have something to eat too.”

Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School is one of three satellite schools which the Community Centre assists. The two other schools in Mamelodi that benefit from the programme are the Motheo Primary School and the Legora Primary School where 130 children receive food on a daily basis.

Most meals contain a variety of ingredients including maize meal, bread, rice, meat (in the form of chicken or mince) and vegetables such as beetroot, cabbage and pumpkin. Diluted drinks and milk accompany these meals. An eight-year-old child told The Mamelodi Voice, “I am happy on Wednesday because we get samp and beans.”

Julius Sacerla prepares food at the feeding scheme for the students of Pfunzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School.

Photo: JAQUES MYBURGH

Ingredients: 1 red onion, peeled and sliced 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped 1 large head of cauliflower, outer green leaves removed, stalk chopped cooking oil parsley, leaves roughly chopped, stalks finely chopped 2 cans good-quality chopped plum tomatoes vinegar Directions: 1. Find a pan in which the whole head of cauliflower will fit. Ensure about an inch of space around the cauliflower.

2. Add the onion, garlic, chopped cauliflower stalk and a little bit of oil to the pan. Slowly fry for 10 minutes until softened and with a little colour.

3. Add parsley stalks and fry for another couple of minutes.

4. Add your tomatoes, then half-fill one of the cans with water and add that to the pan, with a litte bit of vinegar. Stir everything together breaking the tomatoes down to make sure there are no big lumps.

5. Bring to the boil.

6. Take your cauliflower and gently push it down into the sauce. If you’ve got the size of your pan right, half of the cauliflower will be in the sauce, half above it.

7. Drizzle with cooking oil, put the lid on and let it sit on a low heat for 50 minutes.

The Mamelodi Voice

SUMMER 2012

20

Family for the forgotten  Neil Pretorius & Rochandré Kibido

“I

t is a calling.”

That is how the CEO of the Mamelodi Society for Care of the Aged (MASCA), Ivy Mothiba, describes her job.

MASCA is one of the only care facilities of its kind in Mamelodi. The organisation has 28 staff members who provide care for 56 residents, many of whom are frail and bedridden. The facility is not understaffed but Mothiba said that they struggle

Many simply dump their elders here and never bother to visit them A resident of MASCA in his wheelchair stares into the horizon. with inadequate funding. In particular, the facility has trouble covering medical expenses and monthly wages.

Mothiba said, “Many simply dump their elders here and never bother to visit them. Last Christmas only five residents were visited by their relatives.”

Also, community members are not eager to volunteer at the home.

She blames this lack of community involvement on cultural misperceptions about the facility, saying that many in the community view old age homes as foreign to African culture.

She said that the elderly of MASCA‟s loved ones often feel pressured to extend financial support, making them unwilling to visit. Financial support is

welcomed but not obligatory.

Mothiba said her time at North West University, where she studied social work, helped her discover her passion for caring for the elderly.

“When the residents are first committed many of them do not want to be here, but after a while they say they do not want to leave,” she said.

Photo: EUNICE SERFONTEIN She believes the main elements involved in the care and treatment of the aged is making them retain their dignity and social identity in a secure, family environment.

Mothiba believes that a family environment is what the elderly most yearn for. In response she has developed several activities, such as discus-

sions, painting and board games, which are aimed at the individual as well as the group. “I feel that they are happy here, although there will always be one or two who constantly complain. We put in all the love that we can in everything we do for them and that is how we make them feel at home,” Mothiba said.

Mamelodi’s mother of love  Kayleigh Voges

H

istorically, “Mamelodi”, meaning mother of melodies, was the name given to Paul Kruger by the Africans for his ability to whistle and imitate birds. It is in this settlement, northeast of Pretoria, that the Ma Lerato Centre for Hope can be found; nestled between wellbuilt brick houses and shacks.

The founder of the centre, Lerato Jacobs, is affectionately known by the children in her care as „Ma Lerato‟. It holds the special meaning, “mother of love”, an appropriate name for the woman whose centre has cared for the elderly, destitute, sickly, abused and orphaned since its commencement in 1990. Though slight in stature, she is great in love “for all the children she looks after.”

Gloria Mdluli said that “[Ma Lerato] takes the people in and looks after them with her own money and lets them stay in her own house.”

Ma Lerato never completed primary school, is illiterate, speaks Sotho and only knows bits and pieces of English. Despite this she obtained certificates from the Department of Social Development for HIV/Aids Care, Counselling and Home–Based Care and Child Care.

Today, the centre is operating out of her four-bedroom home and is managed by three people at a time. There

are currently 35 children residing there, ranging from eight-month-olds to 18 year-olds. On average, there are about eight children per room with 11 chil-dren sleeping in the garage.

According to Ma Lerato‟s daughter, Mapule, the biggest challenge for the centre is the lack of space. In addition to the overcrowding, there is not a big enough area for the children to play or enough bathrooms to accommodate all of their daily needs.

The government won’t help us. They say I must write a report, but I tell them I can’t write

Ma Lerato says that they don‟t have enough funds to expand the building: “The government won‟t help us. They say I must write a report, but I tell them I can‟t write.” Since her husband passed away in 2004 it has been difficult to cope with the burden of caring

for so many, as well as the huge financial load associated with managing the demanding centre.

Despite these hardships, some organisations and individuals have come to the aid of the centre. A few local churches have been generous with their donations, which were used to purchase new toys and stationery for the children.

Private companies donated clothes and blankets for the cold winter season and Woolworths and Pick „n Pay often donate surplus food to the centre. Ma Lerato also makes sure that every single child attends school, and personally sees to it that they all keep up with their grades. Some students from the education faculty at the University of Pretoria stop by the centre twice a week to help the children with their homework.

As for the future, Ma Lerato‟s request is simple; she wishes for her legacy to live on through her daughter and for the centre to be on-going.

This is a daunting task which Mapule says she is willing to take on.

“When my mother dies, I will take her place. I am already being groomed for the position,” she said. Ma Lerato strongly emphasised that the children are always welcome at her centre for hope and “must never go unless they are ready to go.”

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Ma Lerato, founder of the Hope Centre.

Photo: NARINA NEL