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 » Top » Page 12

Top

Heavy rains lash Kouga and Garden Route, closing roads and forcing evacuations

Heavy rain has triggered widespread flooding, road closures and landslides across the Kouga region and Garden Route, disrupting travel.

Source:

Kouga Express

|

7 May 2026
Eastern Cape roads remain open despite flooding and severe weather

Eastern Cape roads remain open despite flooding and snowfall risks, with officials urging motorists to drive cautiously as wet, slippery conditions persist.

Source:

Mthatha Express

|

6 May 2026
Metro on high alert as Kariega records 63mm of rain in 24 hours

Heavy rains in Kariega led to cautionary alerts for residents as local flooding risks rise, though impacts remain less severe than 2024 floods.

Shanti Jafta

|

6 May 2026
Oil prices dip below $100 on US-Iran deal optimism

World oil prices dived Wednesday and stock markets rallied on fresh hopes for an end to the Iran war.

Source:

Compiled by Amy Lé-Semper

|

6 May 2026
NovaNews wins silver at WAN-IFRA 2026 African Digital Media Awards

NovaNews has won Silver in the Best Emerging News Provider category at the WAN-IFRA 2026 African Digital Media Awards.

Source:

Amy Lé-Semper

|

6 May 2026
Kouga Municipality mobilises emergency teams as widespread flooding hits region

Kouga Local Municipality is responding to widespread flooding after approximately 100mm of overnight rain impacted various parts of the region.

Source:

Kouga Express

|

6 May 2026
Orange Level 8 warning issued for Kouga and Kou-Kamma as flooding risk rises

Kouga and Kou-Kamma residents are on high alert after a Level 8 disruptive rain warning was issued by the South African Weather Service.

Source:

Kouga Express

|

5 May 2026
Man who left victim deaf jailed 25 years for assault and kidnapping in Patensie

Patensie man Nceba Khonkco (41) was sentenced for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and kidnapping on 4 May 2026.

Source:

Kouga Express

|

5 May 2026
Five killed, three injured as vehicle overturns on N10 near Middelburg

Five people were killed and three others injured after a vehicle overturned on the N10 between Middelburg and Nxuba in the Chris Hani District.

Source:

Komani Karoo Express

|

5 May 2026
Fatal bus-taxi crash claims lives of seven passengers in Kariega

Seven workers lost their lives when a minibus taxi made a fatal U-turn in front of an oncoming Algoa bus.

Source:

Shanti Jafta

|

4 May 2026