The Gauteng MEC for education, Panyaza Lesufi in partnership with BMW launched the engineering school of specialization with an automotive focus at the Soshanguve technical secondary school on Tuesday.
The school was graced with the presence of the Gauteng MEC for
education, Gauteng premier David Makhura and BMW CEO Tim Abott to open the new
SOS and donate the BMW’s first model of X3s to the school.
Lesufi said he was excited about their partnership with BMW to donate
the car for education gain to the learners. “becoming an engineer is not just
about just being a mechanic, but knowing how to design cars and the softwares
used in the cars.”
He motivated the learners to be empowered. “I want to be proud that in
the next four or five years when I meet you and I ask how much you earn; you
should tell me that I don’t earn a salary instead I pay the salaries. That is
what we want from you.”
“CEO of BMW had to persuade the board in Germany that instead of taking
this car there, keep it here in South Africa. So I plead with you to please
protect this investment and also thr community at large should protect the
school.”
Tim Abott the CEO of BMW said he is happy that the initiative was in
Soshanguve. “This community is enormously precious to BMW South Africa. BMW has
been built in Rossly just down the road for more than 50 years and it was the
first to be built outside of Germany.”
“We manufacture a lot of cars here and those cars are then sent to
Germany, but for the first time in history of BMW we convinced the main board
of BMW that we wanted to keep these cars.”
He went on to say that he is thrilled to announce that they are donating
the first of 20 BMW X3s to science centers, universities and schools all over
South Africa and the first one was handed over to the school.
Premier Makhura acknowledged the good work that Lesufi is doing for education. “I am very inspired by what MEC is doing and I am very happy to be working with him in this initiative.”
“This school is the second beneficiary in the short space of time apart
from the many schools.”
He also said that he has worked with Abott before and he is a good team
player. “I have seen the good work that Tim is doing. I remember when he
donated a car and replaced a lot of the equipment in the school.”
The engineering learners showed the Premier, MEC and CEO of BMW South
Africa their work. The learners rebuilt a car that was in a collision and a go
cart. The projects were named after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s famous slogan thumamina.
Steve mabona, spokesperson of the Gauteng department of education was
very proud of their work. He said they aim to build more of these schools in
South Africa to improve the education system.
Teko Nkuna, a grade 10 learner at the school said she was happy about
the opening of the SOS and she is proud to be a learner there. “I appreciate
what our MEC is doing for us, we are very privileged to be part of this
initiative.”
Elizabeth Skhosana, a teacher the school said she was very happy and not
shocked about the initiative. “Lesufi has been a great MEC, he has done so many
things for our children in schools and also the school staff.”
William Dibetso, part of the SGB said they are very fortunate to be
working with the MEC. “We are fortunate as the SGB and the community of
Soshanguve to have been blessed with this school. This does not happen in a lot
of communities, but it happened in ours.”
Twitter:@palesa_chidi
palesachidi944@gmail.com
Twitter:@palesa_chidi
palesachidi944@gmail.com
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