SAS IMMORTELLE (SAS IML)
and Navy Headquarters (NHQ) personnel combined their
efforts to partake in 67 minutes for the internationally
celebrated Madiba day on Wednesday, 18 July
2012 at Bokgoni Technical High School in Atteridgeville.
This day has been celebrated since 2008 and this year
Nelson Mandela turned 94 years. The day is
dedicated to his life’s work and that of his charitable
organisations in ensuring that his legacy lives on.
Sailors and the school wishing Madiba a Happy Birthday
As most individuals and
organisations identified areas where they could conduct
work, to bring change and inspire the less fortunate,
the South African Navy did the same and chose Bokgoni
Technical High School. The high school offers
Maths and Science and is a few of its kind in Pretoria
area since the introduction of maths literacy. The
school could not have been a great choice as this
allowed the SA Navy an opportunity to also enrich the
learners with career opportunities to join the Navy on
completion of their matric.
The school received much
needed revamp and renovations for the technical block of
classrooms from SA Navy. As part of 67 minutes,
sailors also cleaned the school by picking up papers and
cleaning windows. As part of Ubuntu of the SA
Navy, the learners were handed SA Navy branded t-shirts,
pens and beanies by the SA Navy Public Relations
Department.
At the crack of dawn the
sailors were in action, cleaning and helping with the
touch-ups of the big renovating project. The Naval
Mess Pretoria Catering Department also handed over a big
Mandela Day birthday cake and refreshments to the entire
school.
As the day progressed,
Chief of the Navy (C Navy), Vice Admiral Refiloe Mudimu
arrived and the matriculants were ready to hear what the
navy is all about and what it can offer them. The
recruiting team was well equipped and readily engaged
the matric learners on careers options on offer from the
SA Navy, their main focus being on technical and combat
musterings. To add flavour and to switch to the
spirit of celebrations, the Bokgoni learners entertained
the crowd with the traditional Sepedi dance and
melodies.
Addressing the learners of
Bokgoni, C Navy said. “Without discipline there is no
light for success”. “Knowledge is power and it is
never late to learn and be a leader”. He
encouraged the youth to ensure that whatever they do
they must be the best, as failure will only be their
problem and embarrassment to their families not to the
teachers.. As he concluded his speech he read a
poem by Bertold Brecht: which read as follows:
“Study from bottom up, for
you who will take the leadership, It is not too late!
Study the ABC; it is not enough, But study it! Do not
become discouraged, begin! You must know everything! You
must prepare to take command, now! Locate yourself a
school, homeless folk! Go search some knowledge, you who
freeze! You who starve, reach for a book: it will be a
weapon. What you yourself don’t learn you don’t know.”
“Education is surely the fountain of creativity and the
foundation of direct change”, said C Navy.
The day was concluded with
everyone tucking into Madiba’s birthday cake and other
refreshments provided by Naval Mess Pretoria’s catering
team. The school Principal Mr Timothy Mathopa in
appreciating the worked done by the navy , said “I am
grateful for the relationship the school and navy has
forged and I wish it can be long and fruitful. I
the principal of Bokgoni, say ‘Salute!” That
clearly showed how grateful he was for the navy’s
selfless contribution to the school.
SA Navy has indeed
contributed and continues to contribute to the building
of the nation, by educating and endeavour to develop the
youth of this country. As a Xhosa saying goes “Bagotywa bebatsha” (simple meaning, you train and prepare them at
an early age).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TATA
MADIBA
