Topic Menu:

JOHN Walton Secondary School was recently endowed with a study centre and sleeping quarters, where its matric learners can look forward to having two meals a day while they study for the year ahead.

The school received over R45 000 in sponsorship, both monetary and in-kind.

The KallaManie Benefit Foundation was established in memory of the late Manie ‘Kalla’ Daniels, who was a long-serving educator at John Walton. The Foundation, registered as a Non-Profit Company (NPC), donates all its proceeds to good causes. The late Daniels’ wife, Fredaline, nominated Jamie-Lee Daniels, Clinton Anderson, and Jeffrey du Preez as the Foundation’s founding directors.

The donation came in various forms, from local businesses such as the KallaManie Benefit Foundation donating R30 000, Score under Chill Beverages who donated R5 000, the JWSS Alumni Association donating R15 000, Buco Hardware Store, which donated building materials, as well as Andrew Rabie Secondary School and Ebrahim Wicomb who donated cutlery.

A current Grade 12 learner shared his heartfelt story about what the study centre would mean for him going into his matric year.

“My living conditions are not good because, during the day, I cannot study as there is too much noise around. We stay in a one-roomed flat in someone’s backyard. Sometimes, I have to study with a torch because the owner of the house switches off the electricity often, or sometimes there just is no electricity,” said the learner.

He added that he has a desire to learn, but his circumstances do not allow him to do so. This is why he believes that the study centre will be beneficial for him and other learners as well. “It will provide learners, such as me, with a safe and comfortable place to learn.”

The learner, filled with emotion, added, “I am grateful that I will now have a place to get valuable study time, as well as a guaranteed warm plate of food and breakfast the next day.”

The sleeping quarters were equipped with numerous bunk beds, which were assembled by the school’s wood-working department to limit costs. Deputy Principal Phillip Joseph added that they hope to receive more donations as there is still space to convert the adjacent classroom into another sleeping quarter. The current arrangement will alternate between housing boys one week and girls the next. Should there be more funding, it will give learners equal opportunities to benefit from it.

According to Joseph, a section of the school was converted into two sections: a study hall and sleeping quarters, which would accommodate approximately 20 learners both during the week and over the weekend for those in need.

“Learners who cannot study at home are encouraged to come to the school, where they will be provided with a meal and an opportunity to study among teachers. Having teachers around will give struggling learners an opportunity to ask questions should they get stuck,” Joseph added.

As a non-fee paying school receiving a subsidy from the Department of Education, the subsidy goes towards the school’s learning materials and staff salaries.

“Our school was meant to be a temporary structure (made of wood) in 1978. We were initially meant to move; however, that has not happened yet. So, we need money for the maintenance of the school as well,” Joseph said.

He added that the learners come from impoverished backgrounds, and in some cases, learners have additional challenges.

The Principal, Stephen de Bruin, said that the school moved from quintile 4 to quintile 3, which means that the learners are part of the government’s school feeding scheme.

“This initiative is important because some children who do not eat, do not have the energy to study throughout the day. This will eradicate that and give all learners an equal chance at succeeding in their studies,” De Bruin said.

He also added that the study centre will be a sanctuary for learners who cannot study at home, and that here will be security guards patrolling the premises to ensure that the learners are safe.

Joseph concluded, “The school calls on other businesses and able community members to assist them in providing larger sleeping quarters for its learners to help them achieve an even higher pass rate than last year’s 80.1%.”

Topic Menu:

Home » SAPS » Page 8

SAPS

Sports bar shooting leaves rugby player dead, two wounded

A night out turned deadly in Kariega when a gunman stormed into a sports bar on Young Street, opening fire on patrons and leaving one man dead and two others…

Shanti Jafta

|

11 Sep 2025
Hostage drama involving a police officer ends tragically with two deaths

Hostage drama involving a police constable ended tragically with two deaths,

Source:

Teboho Setena

|

10 Sep 2025
Wanted Mozambican kidnapper fatally wounded by police during dramatic rescue operation

KEMPTON PARK – A notorious kidnapping mastermind known as “Dollarman” was shot and killed during a confrontation with police officers on Wednesday evening, leading to the successful rescue of an Indian…

Source:

Novus Media

|

4 Sep 2025
Double murder investigation launched after bodies found in Gqeberha

The South African Police Service (SAPS) can confirm that the bodies of two unknown males were found in bushes near Coega Hotel yesterday, 01 September 2025 at about 09:35. According…

Source:

Shanti Jafta

|

2 Sep 2025
Police losing tech race to criminals as procurement woes hamper digital upgrades

South Africa’s police force is falling dangerously behind criminals in the adoption of digital technology, with outdated state procurement policies enabling lawbreakers to outpace law enforcement, according to an assessment…

Source:

Novus Media

|

29 Aug 2025
NMBM share plan to protect public infrastructure

Metro has intensified hotspot monitoring and increased security collaboration following violent Bayland protests over electricity cuts that damaged trucks and buses.

Source:

Shanti Jafta

|

28 Aug 2025
Two SAPS vehicles serving 30,000 people of Kamesh area

A community in Kariega, encompassing over 37,000 residents, is grappling with severe under-resourcing at its local police station, SAPS Kamesh.

Shanti Jafta

|

15 Aug 2025
SAPS investigate Despatch murder incident

SAPS spokesperson, Captain Sandra Janse Van Rensburg, said that the South African Police Service (SAPS) Despatch detectives have opened a murder investigation following a fatal shooting incident that occurred on…

Shanti Jafta

|

14 Aug 2025
SAPS arrest trio in Kariega CBD shooting incident

SAPS Kariega detectives detained three suspects on charges of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition after a shooting incident took place yesterday, 3 August in Kariega.…

Shanti Jafta

|

4 Aug 2025
Foreign national shop owner gunned down in Kariega CBD

SAPS Kariega confirmed they opened a murder case following a shooting incident in Kariega CBD this weekend that killed a 40-year-old foreign national shop owner.

Shanti Jafta

|

21 Jul 2025