Independent Electoral Commission spent 67 minutes for Mandela Day at Matseke Primary

The Electoral Commission (IEC) presented the children and teaching staff of Matseke Primary School in Atteridgeville this morning with a cleaned and newly painted school when they arrived for the third semester. 

The Chairperson, Dr Brigalia Bam, said she was excited to be involved in a project like this where the IEC can give back to the community and put our election messages to good use. She encouraged learners and the community to ‘Love their South Africa’ by looking after their school.

National office staff in Centurion, our colleagues from the Gauteng office and staff from our partner, Abland, cleaned, repaired and painted for two days last week to have everything ready for this morning’s handover ceremony. 

Abland, the IEC’s landlord in Centurion, did not only provide staff with the technical know how, but they also sponsored all materials used in the project. 

Since a large number of schools are used as voting stations every election, schools form an important link in the election chain. The IEC facilitates inter-departmental task teams at the level of officials in all nine provinces with a view to improving facilities at schools that we use as voting stations. These are continuous projects for the provision of electricity, toilet facilities and in some cases even running water. The aim is to direct state resources in a constructive way to improve voting facilities and thus also encourage schools to participate in election day activities. The IEC has a professional connection to schools and our Mandela Day project links to that.

Matseke Primary School was built in 1956 and last painted in 1987. Several classrooms, the hall, the ablution facilities, play area for pre-schoolers, the soccer field, netball court as well as the school grounds received attention from roughly 80 eager cleaners, ‘handy persons’ and painters. IEC staff spent Thursday from 10h00 to 16h00 to clean and do repair jobs and Friday from 10h00 to 16h00 to paint and do more repair jobs. 

“It is my wish that all of us who worked on this project will ‘embrace Madiba’s values and honour his legacy through an act of kindness’ and make every day a Mandela Day,” said Dr Bam.

Enquiries:
Kate Bapela
Cell: 082 600 6386

For media interviews:
Please e-mail requests to: spokesperson@elections.org.za

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Matseke Primary School
Corner Thindisa and Gomba Streets, Atteridgeville
City of Tshwane

Matseke Primary School was established in Atteridgeville, south of Pretoria in 1956 after a need was identified for learners whose parents were forcefully removed from areas such as Lady Selborne, Bantule, Marabastad, Riverside, Eastwood, among others. 

The first principal of the school was Mrs FM Mohlakwana, who headed the school until 1990 on her retirement. The school started with ten classrooms, ten teachers and one headmaster and served learners from sub-standard A to standard two, i.e. Grades one to four.

Later six additional classrooms and an administration block were built. The composition of the staff establishment was seventeen teachers including the principal and about seven hundred learners. 

There was also the caretaker’s house which was a four-roomed house. The first caretaker of the school was Mr Makweya. In 1981 the school celebrated its 25th anniversary. 

The second principal was Mrs MP Papo who initially taught at the school from 1971 to 1975. She then went to teach at Dr WF Nkomo Secondary School. She was appointed principal of Matseke Primary school from October 1990 to June 1996. She left the school when she was seconded to Tshwane South District Office (D4) in July 1996 as Institutional Development and Support Officer (IDSO). 

From August 1996 to December 1997, Mrs Euphene M Mohale was the acting principal of Matseke Primary School. 

The third and present principal of Matseke Primary School, Mr Mamakobe J Malatji, was appointed in 1998.

Other milestones over the years include:

• The introduction of a grade “R” class in 2000. The school has four grade “R” classes.
• The upgrade to Grade seven in 2003 after consultation with all stakeholders and in 2006 the first group of learners who had passed Grade seven. 

Matseke Primary participates in many different sporting codes, like basketball, football, athletics, music, cricket, tennis and table tennis. 

The school is also involved in environmental issues and has entered several competitions in the past. It teaches learners to take care of their own environment and to conserve nature. The school has won three trophies and R10 000.00.

In 2005 the school entered the ECO-Schools project and was awarded a certificate and a green ECO flag.

The following are learners who started their careers at Matseke Primary: