03/02/2022
‘Guardian angels’ come to aid of city school
KAILENE PILLAY
AFTER a Pietermaritzburg school was left stranded by contractors, the organisation they describe as their “guardian angels” stepped in to save the day.
Contractors working at the Alston Primary School dug up trenches under five classrooms and then walked away from the project three years ago without any explanation.
“We just had to carry on I guess. We had no choice but to build a make-shift floor and continue using the classrooms with the one-metre trench underneath,” said deputy principal Stephen Oakes.
Community Chest director Michael Deegan said that he discussed the situation with Sandy Govender from Divine Life South Africa, who “without hesitation” took on the project.
Govender and the team of volunteers from Divine Life worked through December last year on all five classes.
“The Msunduzi Municipality gave us sand to fill the trenches and we then concreted and tiled the floors. We also renovated the ceilings and reconnected the electrical wiring through the classes,” said Govender.
However, when all was done, Govender said his team of about 15 felt that the classrooms were incomplete.
“We decided we would paint the classrooms and refurbish them,” he said.
Building and renovating schools are part of the Divine Life SA service to the community. It is a non-profit organisation that depends solely on funds from the public and is currently building a creche in each of the seven local municipalities.
Alston Primary School, with an enrolment of more than 1 000, desperately needed the renovations to take place as Oakes said their roll was increasing.
Alston Primary celebrates its 113th anniversary this year and, despite the wonderful work carried out by Divine Life, is still in need of further refurbishment of the rest of the school.
“We are so thankful for what the Divine Life and Community Chest have done for us and the children. They are really our guardian angels,” said Oakes.
In addition, the pupils raised R12 000 which the Junior Community Chest matched so the school can buy musical instruments. Capital Music in Pietermaritzburg gave the school a massive discount and now the pupils will, for the first time, learn to play musical instruments.