By REGINALD KANYANE
23 June 2025- The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in North West said it is committed to social justice. This comes after the party donated school shoes to underprivileged learners at Pelongwe Primary School in Takaneng village, near Taung recently. The EFF Deputy Secretary in North West, Justice Dabampe said about 30 learners will benefit from this initiative.
He further said the school through Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) gave them the list. Dabampe added that they will return to the school next week to get confirmation of the list of learners who will benefit.
“We did not take the pictures of learners as we believe that, we should not parade them more especially that this is a genuine course. We have today donated school shoes as part of ensuring that we contribute to the conducive environment of teaching and learning.
“We also did an oversight at Pelongwe Primary School and we identified some of the key challenges, which are not limited to the general collapse of infrastructure. The Grade R learners do not have furniture and a proper playground. Toilets are not working properly, some classrooms are in the verge of collapse,” he said.
Dabampe said the school is not a full service school, yet has a need to have such services. He said they will ensure that the North West Department of Education intervenes as the children cannot and will not be subjected to such fire conditions.
“Donating school shoes is crucial for enhancing children’s access to education. These will also boost their confidence, and promote a sense of dignity and belonging. The initiative addresses the practical need for proper footwear, protecting children from the elements and potential hazards while walking to school.
“Furthermore, we urge other role players to take part in these kinds of initiatives. School shoes are a vital part of the school uniform, and donating them can significantly impact a child’s self-esteem and confidence,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CEO of Adopt-a-School Foundation, Steven Lebere said: “Adopt-a-School Foundation is tackling the need of many school children for school shoes. School shoes are part of school uniform wear in South Africa.
“In partnership with local sneaker brand Bathu, Adopt-a-School is driving a school shoes donation campaign to restore dignity and ease the walk to school for learners. But Adopt-a-School isn’t taking this step alone. The organisation is calling for individual and corporate donations to make a difference.”
The Guardian 