LAUNCH OF CHRIS HANI MONTH

Chris Hani District Municipality launched Chris Hani Month on 1 April. The launch event was held in Komani at CHDM Disaster Management Centre. This launch sees the kick-starting of a wave of events dedicated to slain apartheid struggle hero and national icon Chris Thembisile Hani who was born and bred in Sabalele village which is situated in the CHDM jurisdiction.

During the launch which was attended by various government entities, the Executive Mayor Mxolisi Koyo explained that “Chris Hani Month celebrations were introduced by the previous Council that was led by former Executive Mayor Alderman Mafuza Sigabi with the aim to uphold our rich history and ensure that it is not tainted. We took the baton from the previous Council and ran with it because this is a government programme aimed at educating ourselves, our children and our children’s children. April is a special month, as a number of our struggle icons died in this month and it is only fitting for us in this district municipality to treat it as special and focus more on service delivery”.

During the event, laptops were handed over to 22 learners who are beneficiaries of CHDM bursary scheme launched in 2012. The bursary scheme covers for tuition, accommodation and meals for learners at various tertiary institution. This is the second intake of learners as the first group of beneficiaries have now completed their studies (3-year degrees) which some are now doing their final years (4-year degrees).

Andile Jamani, a bursary beneficiary who recently graduated, praised the initiative of giving an opportunity to poor and but deserving students. He now works as an intern at Chris Hani Development Agency. Miss Mavis Posnayo a parent whose child also benefited from the bursary said as a family they had no means to take the child through to tertiary level and received a massive shot in the arm through this initiative by the Council of CHDM.