Dedicated to a life of serving people, millions of community members all over South Africa participate in service delivery, in honour of Tata, Nelson Mandela.  As the Eastern Cape Department of Education in partnership with the Department of Correctional Services, dedicated their 67 minutes at Vukuhambe Special School in Mdantsane on the 18 July 2017.

This day saw both prisoners and employees of both departments working together to work the land with a view of growing vegetables and trees. This initiative will in the future assist the school with their nutrition programme as they will be able to extract vegetables from their own backyard, thereby making them self-sufficient.

Education presents itself in multi facet forms, one of these, are educating prisoners through initiatives such as these, where prisoners get to use their skills to cultivate the land and give back to the communities.  Speaking to Jannie Viljoen, Head of Maintenance at the Department of Correctional Services, he mentions that such initiatives are part of the rehabilitation process, “it’s a high priority for us to take part and participate with the other companies in events like this today especially on Mandela Days.”  As prisoners are being prepared to integrate back into their communities, they participate in other projects as well such as building, painting and agriculture, this is one of the ways in which they help reintroduce the prisoner back into their community.  They acquire skills that will allow them to participate in the economic and social development of their different societies.

It was in the heart of the great Madiba to incorporate those with disabilities, as full participants in the Socio-Economic Development of the country and the communities they live in, hence the choice to host the event at Vukuhambe Special School.  This was affirmed in the words of Selwyn Bruiners, Official from ECDoE Special Programmes Unit, “Persons with disabilities deserve a place in the sun, they too deserve a chance to realize their dreams.”

Vukuhambe has been in existence since 1976, currently has an enrolment of 152 learners, with a staff establishment of 24 educators and 62 support staff.  Wezile Thole, principal of Vukuhambe Special School, acknowledges that an icon was born on this day, and is thrilled and honored to have had this event hosted at his school, also seeing “high top departmental officials doing spade work”.  Thole has committed himself in ensuring that the garden is well maintained, and this project further transcends to his learners who will actively be involved in the nurturing of the food gardens, where they will enjoy the fruits of their labor, this will help them in terms of sharping their skills for future self-empowerment.

In the true sense of self liberation, Nelson Mandela says “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, butto live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

Story By: Nobulali Sigabi and Cheera-Dee Robinson