Community says cleanest school win for local school no flash in the pan

Shigombe won is the cleanest school in Limpopo, according to Ledet

The Village Voice

The community of Jilongo in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality is agog the local Shigombe Primary School won the provincial greening competition organized by the Limpopo Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

Shigombe are the reigning winners of the provincial cleaning and landscaping competition.

One of the happy people includes the local traditional leader Hosana John Jilongo.

“As the traditional leadership led by Hosi Madonsi, we are very happy, “said Hosana Jilongo.

He said the success of the school is no flash in the pan.

“The village of Jilongo is generally a clean village. This is as a result of unity between various structures. In 1991 the village received an award from the then Gazankulu government as the cleanest village. Obviously the school is taking a cue from the village because it works in unison with the traditional leadership, “said Hosana Jilongo.

The school based at Jilongo village under the Madonsi Traditional Council was recently presented with the certificate and a cheque of R20 000 by Vhembe District Executive Mayor Dowelani Nenguda on behalf of Ledet MEC Rodgers Monama.

This was on the heels of the school receiving R15 00 for winning the regional version of the competition.

“The school management has also planted a tree at my kraal as a motivation that the whole community should also lead the cleanliness and greening campaign from the front, “said Hosana Jilongo.

The school principal Julia Mabasa said the competition did not only get concerned with the cleanliness but also with the landscaping.

“They were satisfied we met both superbly. It was a team effort and involved all the stakeholders in the community who lent support, “said Mabasa.

The project leader Vongani Nelly Maluleke praised the late school Principal Joe Mangolele as the vision bearer.

“It was his vision that the school should the world beater and we have found a suitable successor in Mhani Mabasa because she was a member of the cleanliness team before she became the principal. She is the one who joined the competition and won, “she said.

She said the school had joined the competition earlier and the results not were announced because of the Convid -19 pandemic.

This did not deter them as they entered for the competition again.

The cleanliness campaign is led by the school governing body with a member of the body Risenga Elias Chauke helping cut grass in the school premises.

The school principal also praised local community leaders Dr Gulukhulu who is the chairman of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa in Vhembe and local Collins Chabane Local Municipality councilor Lisbeth Mathebula who is in the ANC ticket.

“They are both part and parcel of the success of the school as we always consult them,” said school governing body member Chauke.

Dr Mathebula said the success of the school should not end there.

“You must assist the local village as well as the entire Collins Chabane Local municipality, “he said and added, “A clean environment invites tourists while unclean surrounding chase them away.”

He said because of the world famous Kruger National Park, communities neighbouring it should be clean.

He said about the village: “The village was very clean from the time I was minister in the former Gazankulu homeland. The school is taking a cue from the village and congratulation to them, “he said.

Lisbeth Mathebula, ward 36 Collins Chabane Local municipality councilor under the ANC ticket said Shigombe primary school’s success is good news for all at ward 36.

“This will motivate parents that they will be sending their children at a good school where they will be learning under healthy conditions, “she said.

She says she has reciprocated by applying for refuse removal banks to assist the school. “I hope this will also motivate other schools to copy from Shigombe when it comes to cleanliness, “she said.