At a soil turning event that embraced the spirit of South Africa’s Youth Day, more than 2000 people celebrated the commencement of the project. High level dignitaries included President Jacob Zuma, Minister Angelina Motshekga, Department of Education, Deputy Minister Derek Hanekom, Premier of the Eastern Cape, Noxolo Kiviet, Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, Professor Dr. Siegfried Russwurm, Member of the global Board of Siemens AG, local dignitaries, citizens and children of Mvezo.

Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, the chief of Mvezo, since his appointment in 2003 has been working diligently together with the public and private sectors as a development agent for the village. “We developed the idea to build a high school in the area and started fundraising activities. I approached various sponsors, which is how Siemens came to hear about the school. I then met with the global CEO, Peter Loescher, who really took the project to heart”, Mandela recalls.

“Through this investment, our company is demonstrating it’s commitment to supporting government with it’s goal of increasing the levels of education in South Africa.,” says Professor Dr. Russwurm, member of the global board of Siemens. “We are a technology company focusing on technology solutions. The school will be designed according to the principles of sustainability, and it will incorporate state-of-the-art environmental friendly solutions, such as water purifications systems and will be powered by solar energy. The learners in the school will be exposed to this cutting edge technology and will hopefully get excited about technological solutions and the fascinating world of engineering. South Africa and the rest of the Africa needs engineers to find answers to the continent’s infrastructure challenges and to create jobs,” states Russwurm.

The Mandela School of Science and Technology will be the first high school in the area, with capacity for 700 students. “Mvezo itself does not currently have a high school. The nearest high schools are based in Umtata, 80km away or even further afield in Butterworth or East London,” says Mandela. “We believe the school’s presence in Mvezo will address many of the social challenges faced by the community. Because students are forced to leave home from Grade 7 to attend high school, the lack of parental supervision exposes them to many dangers, such as substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and HIV. Alternatively, they drop out of school in Grade 7. The presence of a high school based in Mvezo will allow our children to complete their matric, giving them the opportunity for a tertiary education and a rewarding career,” he continues.

Mvezo is a village located on the banks of the Mbashe River. “The roots of the Mandela family are in Mvezo,” says Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela. “My great grandfather, Gadla Mandela was chief of Mvezo until he was forcibly removed from the area for refusing to attend a court hearing. The family was moved to Qunu,” he recalls.

The presence of the school will also educate the community of Mvezo around that fact that they are part of a global community. “At the moment, Mvezo is isolated. We do not have access to a clean water supply, healthcare facilities or sanitation. However, as my grandfather always says, ‘with education you can save the world.’ We are hoping, that through education, the youth of Mvezo will connect with the global community and equip themselves to address the challenges we are facing,” Mandela enthuses.

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