By BAKANG MOKOTO
25 December 2025- The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi has hailed Mokete Flatela (56), who is a Mathematics and Science teacher from Nkang Mahlale Secondary School in Jouberton Township, near Klerksdorp, for soliciting the sponsor of 400 desks for his school.
Motsumi said Flatela has been a teacher for 30 years and believes that one needs to be a solution to a problem rather than be an additional problem.
She further said when he worked at Lerothodi Secondary School in Bethanie village, he realised that the school needed infrastructural attention and wrote letters to the nearby mines. Motsumi added that, through Flatela’s intervention, the school was renovated to the tune of R3 million.
“Indeed, his contribution made a huge difference to the school. At the beginning of the 2025 academic year, Flatela was allocated a classroom that did not have adequate school furniture.
“Every time when learners had to change periods, teachers were frustrated because the learners did not have furniture in the classes they were moving to,” she said.
Motsumi said this situation necessitated Flatela to write letters to the private sector to request school furniture for his learners. She said the Harmony Gold Mine responded positively to his request for the 400 desks.
“We would like to praise Flatela for his heroism. I wish to thank him for the heroism he displayed at Nkang Mahlale Secondary School. His conviction and dedication did not allow him to limit himself to his position at the school.
“He believed that seeking help for their school is not the sole responsibility of the principal alone but for everyone in the school to take the responsibility,” said Motsumi.
She regards him as a hero in their schools and she believes that they need many more Flatelas in the education system. Motsumi said the government does not have all the resources to cover every need in all their schools.
“We encourage our community members to raise their hands like Flatela and make a difference from any space they are in. It is true that ‘It takes a village to raise a child.
“Ngwana ke sejo oa tlhakanelwa.’ The government alone cannot make it if the general society does not come to the party. On behalf of the entire department, l would like to thank and appreciate Harmony Gold Mine for their donation of desks to Nkang Mahlale Secondary School,” she said.
Motsumi said she takes this moment to challenge other companies to support schools across the province. She said the Harmony Gold Mine has already delivered 200 double desks and the other 200 is reported to be delivered soon.
Meanwhile, Flatela said: “After realising that my learners were struggling without the school furniture, I could not wait for the department to deliver but to take it upon myself. I did not even inform my school principal about my little project of soliciting furniture for the learners.
“They only knew when Harmony Gold Mine requested a school letterhead on the request letter. I was over the moon after I heard that my request had been approved.”
Flatela said he knew that these desks were going to change the quality of the African child education and he thanked Harmony Gold Mine for their positive response to his request.
“My passion for education is fully realised when l see learners able to acquire education in a conducive learning environment,” said Flatela.
The Guardian 