In what is seen as an early Christmas present and an investment in education, Khosikhulu Vho-Toni Mphephu Ramabulana donated R700 000 to four rural disadvantaged schools in Vhembe.

Mphephu decided to donate part of the dividends received from African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) to the schools. This follows after the executive chairperson of ARM, Patrice Motsepe, donated R8.9million to nine traditional leaders in South Africa. Mphephu is the trustee representing the Limpopo Upliftment Trust, which represents local traditional leaders. The money was dis-tributed through the ARM BEE Trust.

Other traditional leaders who benefited from the ARM´s donation are Nkosi Ndamase Ndamase, Kgisi Setlamorago Thobejane, Nkosi Maxh´obayakhawuzela Sandile, Nkosi Goodwill Zwelithini, Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa, Kgosi Nyalala Pilane, Nkosi Makhosonke Mabena and Hosi Mlungisi Ntsanwisi.

Mphephu donated R300 000 to Sukumani Kundani secondary school of Gogobole village. He donated another R300 000 to Risongoneta Day Care Centre. Risongoneta is a private day care centre at Tshaulu village in the Tshivhase area that takes care of children living with disabilities. He also donated a computer, printer and a plasma TV set to the centre. A further R50 000 was donated to the Tshianzwane Primary school of Ha-Makuya in the Mutale Municipality and R50 000 went to the Tshikosi Primary school in the Rambuda area of the Mutale Municipality. The school has a water shortage problem.

According to Mphephu, the trust seeks to address challenges which community members are faced with in their communities, such as lack of water, schools, poverty, etc. “In each of the five districts of Limpopo, we have one chief who is a member of the trust. Agriculture is one of the projects where we are planning to engage community members with an aim of eradicating poverty,” he said.

He said he was going to use the money he re-ceived from ARM to uplift his community, which is the entire Vhembe District.

“Talking about poverty in Vhembe District will soon be a thing of the past. I want to see the residents of Vhembe engaging in community projects as a way of fighting poverty in the area. As a traditional leader, I won´t just sit back and fold my arms while my people are suffering. There is still a lot that I am going to do for the Vhembe community as a trustee of the Limpopo Uplift-ment Trust,” he said.

The trust also received dividends of R898 000 from the ARM. Asked as to what the trust was going to do with the money, Mphephu said the trustees were still going to sit down and see what they could do to assist the people of Limpopo.

The principal of Sukumani Kundani Secondary school, Mr Progress Kutama, said they were very thankful for the donation. “We feel very proud to have traditional leaders like Khosikhulu Vho-Toni Mphephu Ramabulana who cares about his people. Our school had a very serious challenge of a shortage of water and ablution facilities. The time of learners going to the bush to relieve them-selves will soon be a thing of the past, as we are going to use the money to build ablution blocks,” he said.