On Saturday morning 9 March 2013, MEC Mandla Makupula joined learners from throughout the province for the highly anticipated annual debate on the State of the Province Address delivered by the honourable Premier, Noxolo Kiviet two weeks ago.
MEC was particularly looking forward to the engagement as he had thoroughly enjoyed the robust and committed inputs from learners during the 2012 debate. He was also keen to gauge this year’s cohort against their counterparts from last year.
MEC, as were all the adults in attendance, were impressed and amazed by the very high level of preparation and the quality of the learner presentations. MEC was so impressed that he requested that he be allowed a few minutes to address the gathering and relay his sentiments and good wishes.
It is therefore disappointing and disconcerting that the Daily Dispatch reporter in the audience who was covering the event failed to recognise and comprehend MEC’s nuanced and the satirical nature of his subsequent conversation with the learners.
MEC recognised that this was an engagement with young people with a limited attention span, it was important that his remarks were interspersed with a high level of humour and reference to day to day experiences.
It is quite obvious that some of MEC’s ‘tongue in cheek’ statements, said to fit the mood and context of the engagements, have been completely misread by the reporter; instead an impression has been created that suggests malice and a caustic demeanour on the part of the MEC, a complete misinterpretation of what really obtained in the legislature. This is especially disappointing as MEC was available to the reporter and could have clarified his remarks if asked to do so.
MEC has nothing but the highest regard for all the learners who participated in the debate, the quality of their presentations were of the highest order. He looks forward to other similar intellectually stimulating public occasions headlined by his learners; they all make him very proud.
Enquiries:
Loyiso Pulumani
Cell: 083 275 0675
