Greater Giyani mayor Ms Dorris Mathebula has praised the Telkom Foundation for rising to the occasion to help the community of Mahlathi outside Giyani, which has been ravaged by a hailstorm.

Buildings that include houses, schools and churches were destroyed about two week ago, a huge setback for the impoverished community. Last Thursday, Telkom came out of the blue and pledged an amount of R500 000 to the municipality for the reparation of damaged schools in the area.

Project manager Isaac Lentswe said he saw pictures of damaged buildings and the name Mahlathi on TV and decided to come to the party. “When it comes to education, we feel we must be counted because we supplied computers to schools in Mahlathi before,” said Lentswe.

In response, Mathebula said: “God seems to have something special in mind for Giyani. When the Minister of Rural Development saw a thin woman in a newspaper and the caption said she was from Giyani, it led to Muyexe’s being chosen to pilot the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme. Now we have another big development and the Telkom Foundation acts after seeing it on TV.” She said the hailstorm had set the Giyani community back tenfold as many people had been left homeless.

“Although the Telkom Foundation money will only revive schools, it is a step in the right direction because it is clear that during tough times, someone is on their side,” she said.

Ward 19 councillor Noria Mthombeni said many families had been left destitute and called on Good Samaritans to help them revive the shattered structures. “Most of the people affected have no breadwinners and people should follow the lead of the Telkom Foundation and assist,” she said. She said she was personally excited because the donation by the giant company was an indication that her people were not alone. “It is an indication that we are part of the part of the bigger South African family, and together we can do more,” she said