Mayor hails Khodobi for success at the national tournament

Collins Chabane mayor visits Khodobi primary to motivate netball national champions

The Village Voice

The exploits of the Khodobi primary school Under 12 netball team that beat the odds to become champions after the recent tournament in Boksburg have not gone unnoticed. Collins Chabane Local Municipality mayor Gezani Shadrack Maluleke on Friday visited the school to have breakfast with the girls and the teachers. This was in the presence of the local traditional leadership led by Hosana Mapindani.

Schools netball national under 12 champions Khodobi primary with Collins Chabane mayor Shadrack Maluleke and other leaders after their breakfast with the mayor on Friday

Talking at the school, the mayor said by their achievement, the girls have done not only Collins Chabane Local Municipality proud but the whole Limpopo proud. “When I look at you, I see the future. I see the future of South Africa, “he said. “For a school with a mere 138 learners and four teachers beating big schools in the country, your achievement can be equated to the story of David, the puny shepherded who defeated the feared giant Goliath, and this must be appreciated,” said Maluleke.

*From left to right: Khodobi primary netball coach Titswalo Mabedlhe, Collins Chabane speaker Thina Mbedzi, Collins Chabane mayor Shadrack Maluleke and Khodobi school principal Levin Mashila*

He said the municipality will look at ways of assisting the school, and visiting the school to motivate the girls was one of the ways of assisting the school. Maluleke was accompanied by speaker Thina Mbedzi and chief whip Mafemani Eric Baloyi. M’tititi High school principal Mr Macebele who represented the department of education praised the mayor for visiting the school to motivate the girls who caused an upset on the field. “This is the type of leadership that we want, the type that goes to the people and not stay away from the people,” he said of the mayor and his entourage.

School principal Mr Levin Mashila said the school started humbly under a tree in 1958. “We have cut that tree to make way for a building, but we do not forget how it started, “he said. Mashila said the school has a reputation for sporting success. “It was very popular on the sporting front long before I became principal and it is known for success particularly in athletics, “he said. He also said not only was the school popular in sports but in education itself. Coming back to the recent success at the national tournament in Boksburg, Mashila said:”I did not come easily. We did not have prescribed time for training but the girls trained during lunch time, and thanks to the coach Mrs Titswalo Mabedlhe.” The Khodobi girls played fourteen games at the tournament and came back undefeated. “Our motto is: First learn and play and that captures who we are,” said Mashila. On the first day they played four games and won them all. They beat Dagbreek 13-4; Laeveld 1-6, Hans Venter 14-5 and GHS 9-8. On the second day, Khodobi beat Grootdenk 16-4, Saxon Sea 8-7, Umbausi 8-7, and Shapene 11-6. The community led by Hosana Mapindani made contributions to enable the school to go to the tournament. The circuit is also accredited to have assisted the school since because of its poor enrolment it is not getting much from the government.

The list of school principals who graced the occasion at Khodobi primary are: