IT was a jovial occasion when the youth of Retlakgona Youth Centre in Matibidi Village outside Graskop, Mpumalanga, celebrated the legacy of Nelson Mandela on Tuesday, 18 July.
Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, accompanied by Ehlanzeni Mayor Jester Sidel and Thaba Chweu Mayor Friddah Nkadimeng, graced the event through humanitarian activities.
The premier also spent 67 minutes with the villagers under the theme, Climate, Food & Solidarity, which seeks to highlight the urgent challenges of food and climate change facing people worldwide.
"As you know, we are on the drive to make sure that we create job opportunities that sustain our youth in Mpumalanga. This Matibidu Village is one of our deep rural areas. We have just revamped, and over and above, that's a centre used by local youth when there are job opportunities.
"So, we identified there's an opportunity that presented itself around here. Hence, we came here to revamp their centre and put it in the heavy table state," Mtsweni-Tsipane said.
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She said they're encouraging and making education fashionable.
"We then put up a library. We have donated about 500 books starting from grades 3 to 12. We have donated in partnership, of course with Standard Bank, and thanks to them for coming to the fore when we requested their assistance," she added.
Retlakgona Youth Centre manager, Present Makofane, said they're grateful for the donations they received
"Things were not easy before, but now the burden is easier. Our ward Councillor Cornelius Mohlala is thankful for playing a major role thus far," Makofane said.
