Vuwani Funding Update

The previous communique indicated that the distribution of in-kind pledges and funds would be initiated once calm and stability had been restored in Vuwani. This distribution started in the middle of August, following reports from the Vhembe district authorities that teachers and learners were back in schools, service delivery from the district had restarted and violent protests and vandalism had ceased.

• The resources that were pledged have assisted in providing urgent and critical inputs needed for Grade 12 learners who attended three learning camps during the recent school holiday period.
• Of the R1 452 864 pledged in cash, R866 443.75 has been received by the NECT.
  • R586 420.25 is still to be received from donors. The bulk of this balance (R575 000 or 98%) was pledged by Kagiso Trust, which has already released R425 000 of that amount to meet specific needs of the affected schools.
  • Of the R866 443.75 received, R191 754.75 was expended on facilities and materials to support the establishment of the three Grade 12 learning camps.
  • The current cash balance in the NECT account is R674 689 and this will be spent on a cause agreed to by the NECT and the Provincial Clearing Committee.

Since the reopening of the schools on 10 August, the NECT has received a new list of school requirements prepared after due consideration of the resource provisions made by the government. The NECT is working on a response to the request for additional resources and examining how this request can be met with the available funds.

• Grade 12 study guides form the bulk of the requirements listed and these will be delivered by the middle of September, whilst stationery requested will be provided earlier.
• Over 50% of the in-kind donations - with a cash value of R9 377 064 - have been distributed.
  • Thirty percent of the desks pledged were delivered to the Grade 12 learning camps, whilst the remainder are being distributed directly to schools.
  • 68 of the 140 science kits received were distributed and utilised during the Grade 12 learning camps. The 72 remaining kits are being distributed to schools by the district.
  • Two thousand Grade 1-3 readers were distributed by the district to the relevant schools.
  • Textbooks worth R575 000 were supplied to the Grade 12 learning camps.
  • Learner books to the value of R8 000 000 are being delivered by donors directly to the schools. The bulk (94%) of this material is for the Foundation Phase and the remainder is Grade 12 materials.

The partners have agreed that the fundraising and distribution process should be wound up by the end of September. This will entail a presentation of an independent audit report and dialogue involving donors and representatives of the schools, the National Department of Basic Education, Limpopo Department of Education and the community. The dialogue will receive the final report of the Vuwani fundraising project and enable representatives of project participants to share lessons learnt and the experiences of the learners and school staff.

The NECT, SECTION 27, Basic Education for All, the Helen Suzman Foundation and Kagiso Trust would like to reiterate their gratitude to organisations and South Africans that contributed to this cause.

See the list of individuals and organisations that contributed.