The plight of needy learners from the impoverished Redirile Township and nearby Derby farming community was alleviated when 195 learners received donations of school uniforms and sanitary towels from women traffic officers from the North West Provincial Road Traffic Management Unit. The handover of the donations valued at about R10 000 was held at Marema Combined School in the North West Province on Monday.
In her keynote address delivered at the joyous event to mark the wrap up of special operations to commemorate women’s month, North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety & Liaison, Ms Desbo Mohono commended the women traffic officers for their fundraising initiative which has gone beyond their call of duty to make a difference within the indigent farming community.
In recognition of the women’s milestones of bringing to book over 600 offenders which include over 100 speedsters, MEC Mohono highlighted that the women traffic officers shook the province and in particular the Bojanala Platinum District during their operations and called upon them not to be lax in their performance outside the August month but to surpass their enthusiasm and vigilance in their day-to-day operations and duties.
MEC Mohono said that the women who through the initiative have shown motherly love, compassion and gentleness that touched the poorest of the poor. She further said that the women have throughout the special operations that included road blocks and speed enforcement operations set the standard for zero tolerance law enforcement which should be sustained to make roads throughout the province safer.
“You are our pride, women who love deeply but hate lawlessness. Continue to inspire your peers in the Road Traffic Management Unit to intensify their effort and action for safer roads and communities for a better life for all. Remember that in every team you are flowers and your scent should be the scent of excellence,” urged the MEC.
Seventy-three year old Lydia Maubane, a grandmother to two learners who benefited from this initiative praised women traffic officers for their selflessness. Maubane said she depends on her old grant pension and her two grandchildren's child support grants which are very little for survival.
"The donation for school uniform to my grandchildren means a lot and I would like to thank all women who deemed it fit to make a difference in the lives of my grandchildren." According to Maubane, the mother of the two grandchildren (11 and 6 years old) died early last in a car accident.
The unemployed 29 year-old Gadibonwe Montshusi also expressed her gratitude towards women traffic officers as her 10-year-old Omphile has received uniform from the initiative.
"I'm very pleased to receive this kindhearted assistance. To me it is a relief as my child will at least have more inspiration and courage to come to school dressed like other learners," said Montshusi.
The donated goods were sponsored by businesses from Rustenburg like the Spar, Three Star and Kloof Resort, Choppies and Pep Store.
The handover was part of the closing ceremony to wrap up special zero tolerance law enforcement operations to commemorate women’s month. There are about 120 women traffic officers in the province 10 percent of whom are in management positions.
Despite the Bojanala initiative which involved 40 women traffic officers employed in the district, women traffic officers across the province will continue with other Philanthropic initiatives as they also close their women’s month programmes.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: (018) 391 0140
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: (018)381 0328
Email: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
