GRDM Executive Mayor and stakeholders motivate matric students to achieve success

For immediate release
10 December 2021

It was a stirring evening for matric students from Rosemoor, Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp in George on 7 December 2021. They received a special visit from the Executive Mayor from Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) and George Municipality as motivation for them to achieve success.

These students attend evening classes driven by Indigo, a non-profit organisation based in Pacaltsdorp (George) to study towards obtaining their matric certificates. Since August this year, the night school has been running for people who need to complete their matric qualification.

The project has now been expanded to the areas of Rosemoor and Thembalethu to reach all those who have the vision to build a promising future for themselves. GRDM Executive Mayor earlier this year also got involved in the project by ensuring that R15 000 was donated to the school. 

According to Myrtle Sacuenda (chairperson of Indigo), the funds were used to procure stationery for the participants. During the visit, the representatives handed the stationery packs over to the students in Rosemoor where the first visit took place.

During his address to the participants in the presence of the educators, Executive Mayor of GRDM, Ald. Memory Booysen, shared his background with a specific focus on his school years and the challenges he faced as a learner. He mentioned that those challenges never stopped him from achieving many successes. “I got second chances too; that is why GRDM did not hesitate to reach out to Indigo,” said Booysen. He added: “You must demonstrate perseverance”. He also emphasised that the future of South Africa is education. Adding to this he said: “I, therefore, take my hat off to the teachers – we must appreciate our teachers because when you plan to enter any career or profession in life, you have to go through a teacher”.

Mayor Booysen also had a message for the teachers: “Be careful what you say to the learners.  We do not always understand what words can do to our learners.  Suppose an educator says something to a learner once per week. In that case, learners will probably start to believe what is said to them and then, sadly, those learners would want to drop out of school”.

In closing, Mayor Booysen praised the students, teachers and Indigo with the following words: “What you are doing with this initiative and what South Africa needs to succeed, is for every single person or individual to be able to help him or herself. He concluded: “By helping yourself, you are helping South Africa”.

Georgina Arries also inspired students by telling her story of when she matriculated, which she was able to do by pushing through life’s challenges working during the day and attending night school.

Myrtle Sacuenda, Chairperson and Project Manager of Indigo, also extended a word of appreciation to project coordinator at Indigo, Julian Folding, as well as the team and also the motivational speakers, including: Malcolm Damons (Western Cape Department of Education), Pastor Vernon Arries,  Georgina Arries (retired nurse, George Hospital), Cllr Jayze Jantjies, as well as Errol Jaftha (Jaftha Foundation), for their thoughtful and inspiring messages to the matric students.

Feature Image: Executive Mayor of Garden Route District Municipality, Alderman Memory Booysen during his motivational address to the matric students of Rosemoor.

ENDS