Durban — The National Teachers Union (Natu) has donated uniforms to more than 100 pupils whose homes were destroyed by fire that engulfed Kennedy Road informal settlement in Durban last week.
Accompanied by eThekwini regional leadership the union president Sibusiso Malinga visited Rippon and Palmiet primary schools where he handed out uniforms to more than 100 pupils.
Many of the children from the Kennedy Road informal settlement attend these schools in Clare Estate and Sydenham.
Speaking to the Daily News after the handover, Malinga said Natu was disturbed and heartbroken when it heard that some pupils could not be part of school reopening last week because school uniforms were burnt.
“As teachers, learners are our clients and thus cannot fold arms and wait for the government to give relief. No learner should miss the lessons and thus we took it upon ourselves to lend a hand with school uniforms. We are further inspired by the fact that it is still Mandela Month, so we felt the need to support our learners by ensuring that their dignity and right to education is realised,” said Malinga.
More than 1 000 families were left destitute as fire wiped out their shacks and belongings including school uniforms.
The fire was said to have started by one man after he was involved in a fight with his neighbour for an undisclosed cause.
Malinga was elected last year in September replacing Alan Thompson who died of Covid-19 related causes in 2021.
Thompson had taken from Siphosethu Ngcobo who is currently an IFP secretary-general and a member of Parliament.
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Daily News