Department's school uniform cooperatives are determined to meet their obligation of ensuring that the school uniform for the deserving learners is ready before the new date of opening on February 15.
This was evident as the Weekly Bulletin visited and spoke to some of the cooperatives who are currently hard at work to ensure that they deliver and put a smile to the faces ofbthe beneficiaries. This is despite the escalating corona virus infections.
Khabo Mahlobo from Siyaphumela cooperative in Tembisa, whose cooperative is short staffed due to a Covid – 19 case, said, "We are soldiering on because we have 600 school uniform packs for six schools to deliver in Ekurhuleni Region. We are resolute to distribute 100 packs per school".
She said their cooperative has seven staff members who are working on a full-time basis and the work is already half-way.
This cooperative was started in 2010 and was registered and funded by the department four years later for the school uniform project. However, for the past two years the cooperative was never contracted for the project.
Mahlobo indicated though that, "The business has not been doing well. Last year in March, we even approached the local taxi association to produce face masks for them at the beginning of lockdown". However today, the are excited to be doing work for the department.
Dinah Mafatle of the Ontiretse Sewing and Beading Primary cooperative also in Tembisa, shared the same sentiments and said, "Even though we have to halt the production for a week recently, the extension of the school opening provides us an opportunity to fast-track on our mandate".
School uniform packs comprise of a pair of shoes, a pair of socks, a pack of underwear, a vest, a jersey and a trouser/skirt/shirt/tunic/dungaree/culottes (depending on the gender of the child and the uniform type).