October 27, 2003
By Tshepiso Mogotsi
TWO Roodepoort schools received R7 500 each to beautify their school grounds last Friday 24 October as a result of the Bontle ke Botho Campaign to promote environmental awareness.
The money was donated to Durban Deep Primary School and Roodepoort Primary School by ward 71 in Region 5, which includes the Roodepoort area, at a ceremony in the Florida Park Civic Centre.
In the annual Bontle ke Botho campaign to clean and green the environment, ward 71 came third in the greater Johannesburg metro category and won a monetary prize of R15 000. Learners, teachers and members of the community all did their part to clean up the area of ward 71, picking up litter and planting flowers.
Ward 71 wanted to make sure that the winnings would benefit everyone in the district, said ward councillor, Paulus Mahlabe. A decision was taken to split the money between the two schools so that all the learners would benefit.
"Durban Deep and Roodepoort primary schools deserve recognition for the outstanding support both schools gave the ward during the Bontle ke Botho campaign," Mahlabe said.
The Bontle ke Botho campaign is a project of the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs, which is aimed at encouraging communities to beautify their areas and cut down on pollution.
At Friday's ceremony, one of the judges in the Bontle ke Botho campaign, Councillor Roslynn Greeff, and officials from Region 5, and the principals and committee members from the two schools flanked Mahlabe.
Durban Deep Primary School principal, Sherrol Molete, said the school planned to grow vegetables to feed learners, but because of a lack of space they had decided to use the money on an irrigation system, paving for the assembly area, planting flowers and growing a lawn around the school. The school, which is on the Roodepoort Deep Mine, has more than 840 learners from informal settlements such as Matholeville and Sol Plaatjie.
"I am very pleased that the councillor is recognising what the school does and would like to extend my gratitude to my learners for their cooperation when conducting clean up campaigns," said Molete.
Roodepooort Primary School principal, David Parker, said the school's major project will be to grow vegetables and plant flowers to promote gardening skills among learners.
During the announcement, Mahlabe said he was surprised that ward 71 had won an award given "there are many informal settlements in the district like Sol Plaatjie, Durban Deep, Lindhaven, Princess, Davidsonville Matholeville and Leratong".
But Mahlabe believes it was the cooperation and dedication of the community members that actually won the award.
The top award of R50 000 went to ward 2 in Region 11 in Orange Farm.
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