Pupils gifted school shoes and socks

The staff of Table Bay with the children and teachers of Marconi Beam Primary school in Milnerton and JS Klopper Primary School in Elsies River at the school shoe and socks handover on Friday.

The shoe boxes were all personalised by the staff of the hotel.

The Table Bay Hotel staff donated 253 pairs of school shoes and socks to the pupils of JS Klopper Primary School in Elsies River and Marconi Beam Primary School in Milnerton, on Friday December 9.

The children who attended were also treated to hot dogs, cooldrinks and snacks at the hotel.

Table Bay HR Business Partner, Simonay Tala, middle, helps Avuyile Ntsham, 6, from Joe Slovo open her box of shoes as her sister, Sinomusa Ntsham,9, left, sits with them.

The schools who received the gifts were nominated by the hotel’s staff members from the communities they come from.

The day before the shoes and socks were handed over, the boxes were personalised by staff members with colourful name tags for the children and the message: “May these shoes take you where your heart wants to go”.

Keesha Govender, 11, opens her shoes with her dad, Kreesan Govender. They are from Elsies River.

The principal of Marconi Beam, Lumka Nqabeni said Marconi Beam was a big school in an underprivileged area, with many children coming to school with no shoes or broken ones, and no jackets in winter.

She said the donation made a huge difference.

From left are Keesha Govender, 11, Daylin Classen, 13, Grade 7 teacher Jodi Prins and Dane Hendricks, 13, all from Elsies River, and Zac Hartzenberg, 13, from Belhar.

Grade 7 teacher at JS Klopper Primary, Jodi Prins expressed the school’s appreciation. “You have no idea how it would positively impact the children. At our school, we have children who can’t come to school, especially in winter, because their shoes are broken or have holes in them.

“It also shows the pupils the power of giving.”

The hotel’s general manager, Joanne Selby, said: “Education is one of our socio-economic development focus areas and Sun International implements many successful projects in schools across the country each year. Focusing on schools selected by our team members within their communities makes it extra special.”

Marconi Beam pupil Qhama Nqabeni, 11, from Joe Slovo puts sauce on his hotdog.

The Table Bay Hotel has made several education-focused donations in recent months.

Wespoort Primary in Mitchell’s Plain received roofing, together with mats for foundation phase classrooms.

JS Kloppers Primary also received a pedestrian gate and paint for their Grade 4 classroom.

Manenberg Primary received a serving counter together with door locks, a lockable cage and chopping boards.

Siviwe School of Skills in Gugulethu had toilets repainted, new steel doors for the kitchen classroom fitted along with lockable cupboards, and got safety shoes and overalls for the bricklaying class.