The Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu will on Thursday and Friday, 25-26 January 2024, embark on a back-to-school outreach programme in the Western Cape Province. The primary purpose of the outreach programme is to assess the re-opening of schools and the state of school readiness for the 2024 school year and enable interventions, where appropriate.
Minister Zulu will kick-off the programme by visiting Cape Town Society for the Blind with the Turkish Ambassador to South Africa, Her Excellency Ambassador Ayşegül Kandaş Ayşegül for the official handover of a basket workshop renovated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
Through the basket workshop, the Cape Town Society for the Blind seeks to improve the livelihoods of the blind and virtually impaired basket makers by linking them to markets. The NGO was previously supported by the National Development Agency (NDA), an entity of the Department of Social Development.
As part of the back-to-school programme, Minister Zulu and Ambassador Kandaş will visit Siviwe Special School for vocational and skills training for the official handover of an upholstery workshop that will assist in meeting the special educational and skills needs for learners with disabilities. Minister Zulu and Ambassador Kandaş visited the school last year to handover a mobile library.
On Friday, 26 January Minister Zulu will participate in the official opening of International Maarif School in Claremont, Western Cape.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover Minister Zulu’s back-to-school outreach programme scheduled as follows:
Handover of basket workshop
Date: Thursday, 25 January 2024
Venue: Cape Town Society for the Blind, 45 Salt River Rd, Salt River
Time: 11:00-12:30
Hanover of upholstery workshop
Date: Thursday, 25 January 2024
Venue: Siviwe School of Skills, NY 82, Gugulethu, Cape Town
Time: 13:00-14:00
Official opening on International Maarif School
Date: Friday, 26 January 2024
Venue: 44 Imam Haron, Claremont
Time: 11h00
Media RSVPs may be directed to Ms Sharlene Naiker on 082 673 5849/ e-mail: SharleneN@dsd.gov.za or Ms Nomfundo Xulu-Lentsoane on 066 480 6845 /e-mail: NomfundoLe@dsd.gov.za
Media enquiries may be forwarded to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 0834848067/e-mail: lumkao@dsd.gov.za
