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Motivational Talks

20 October 2022 Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor wishes the matric class of 2022 the best of luck!

Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor wishes the matric class of 2022 the best of luck!

20 October 2022
For immediate release

I am Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor of the Garden Route District Municipality.

We know it’s that time of the year when our matriculants have to write their final exams. We want to wish them all the best. And for those who have not started studying yet, the time is now!

We would also like to ask the parents to please bear with the kids and to create a conducive environment at home so that the kids can study under relaxed and quiet circumstances.  The mere fact that matriculants have reached this time of the year throughout the pandemic, is a good sign that this is a resilient district.

I also want to say that we are aware that there are a lot of youth that have already finished matric and who are frustrated because they do not have work or are still sitting at home. But, on behalf of the Mayors of the Garden Route, we are in contact and we are negotiating with our Provincial Government as well to see how we can hold hands and come up with projects that can assist the youth.  We would also like to include the business community so that going forward we know that we have a roll-out that will change the youth’s future and the future of the Garden Route.

– End-

10 December 2021 Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor and stakeholders motivate matric students to achieve success

GRDM Executive Mayor and stakeholders motivate matric students to achieve success

For immediate release
10 December 2021

It was a stirring evening for matric students from Rosemoor, Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp in George on 7 December 2021. They received a special visit from the Executive Mayor from Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) and George Municipality as motivation for them to achieve success.

These students attend evening classes driven by Indigo, a non-profit organisation based in Pacaltsdorp (George) to study towards obtaining their matric certificates. Since August this year, the night school has been running for people who need to complete their matric qualification.

The project has now been expanded to the areas of Rosemoor and Thembalethu to reach all those who have the vision to build a promising future for themselves. GRDM Executive Mayor earlier this year also got involved in the project by ensuring that R15 000 was donated to the school. 

Motivational speakers, representatives from Indigo and matric learners from Thembalethu, during the visit.

According to Myrtle Sacuenda (chairperson of Indigo), the funds were used to procure stationery for the participants. During the visit, the representatives handed the stationery packs over to the students in Rosemoor where the first visit took place.

During his address to the participants in the presence of the educators, Executive Mayor of GRDM, Ald. Memory Booysen, shared his background with a specific focus on his school years and the challenges he faced as a learner. He mentioned that those challenges never stopped him from achieving many successes. “I got second chances too; that is why GRDM did not hesitate to reach out to Indigo,” said Booysen. He added: “You must demonstrate perseverance”. He also emphasised that the future of South Africa is education. Adding to this he said: “I, therefore, take my hat off to the teachers – we must appreciate our teachers because when you plan to enter any career or profession in life, you have to go through a teacher”.

From left are: Pastor Vernon Arries , Georgina Arries (retired nurse, George Hospital), Alderman Memory Booysen (Executive Mayor of Garden Route District Municipality) and Myrtle Sacuenda (Chairperson and Project Manager of Indigo), soon after the event in Rosemoor.

Mayor Booysen also had a message for the teachers: “Be careful what you say to the learners.  We do not always understand what words can do to our learners.  Suppose an educator says something to a learner once per week. In that case, learners will probably start to believe what is said to them and then, sadly, those learners would want to drop out of school”.

In closing, Mayor Booysen praised the students, teachers and Indigo with the following words: “What you are doing with this initiative and what South Africa needs to succeed, is for every single person or individual to be able to help him or herself. He concluded: “By helping yourself, you are helping South Africa”.

Georgina Arries also inspired students by telling her story of when she matriculated, which she was able to do by pushing through life’s challenges working during the day and attending night school.

Myrtle Sacuenda, Chairperson and Project Manager of Indigo, also extended a word of appreciation to project coordinator at Indigo, Julian Folding, as well as the team and also the motivational speakers, including: Malcolm Damons (Western Cape Department of Education), Pastor Vernon Arries,  Georgina Arries (retired nurse, George Hospital), Cllr Jayze Jantjies, as well as Errol Jaftha (Jaftha Foundation), for their thoughtful and inspiring messages to the matric students.

Feature Image: Executive Mayor of Garden Route District Municipality, Alderman Memory Booysen during his motivational address to the matric students of Rosemoor.

ENDS

Garden Route sprekers bemagtig Parkie-prefekte

Die Garden Route Distriksmunisipaliteit het Saterdag 25 Januarie 2020 by die prefekte kamp van Parkdene Primêr ‘n leierskapsopleiding sessie behartig.

Me Mercy James van die Geïntegreerde Ontwikkelingsplan-afdeling het die prefekte aangemoedig om in hulself te glo en met selfvertroue hul funksie as leiers uit te leef. “’n Leier moet n visie hê, beheer neem oor hom of haar lewe en verantwoordelikheid neem vir keuses en besluite”. Sy het verduidelik dat leiers nie probleme sien, maar eerder geleenthede sien vir ontwikkeling en bemagtiging.

Me Mercy James (middel), saam met hoofleiers, vlnr: me Keisha Jantjies (Onder-hoofdogter), me Chaynique Du Plessis (Hoofdogter), mnr Sedwin Gysman (Hoofseun) en mnr Suleiran Dolf (Onder-hoofseun)

Volgens me James moet leiers ‘n lus vir leer ontwikkel, sodat hulle relevant en ingeligte leiers  kan wees.  Tydens ‘n interaktiewe groep sessie het leerders ook sinvolle  oplossings voorgelê vir die rommelstrooiing kwessie en vroe skoolverlaters in ons gemeenskappe.

Na afloop van me James se praatjie het Senior Kommunikasiebeampte van Garden Route Distriksmunisipaliteit, mnr Herman Pieters, leerders se kennis verryk deur eienskappe van Spekbome mee gedeel. Leerders het self uit twee groepe die top-bydraers tot antwoorde identifiseer. Teagan Arendse en Carmelita Hedenrycht is as wennners aangewys.

Ter afsluiting van die sessie het leerlinge hul dank en waardering uitgespreek teenoor die Distrik vir hul bereidwilligheid om 40 prefekte te verryk met kennis.


Garden Route District Municipality presented a talk about leadership to prefects from Parkdene Primary School on 25 January 2020. Integrated Development Planning Officer, Ms Mercy James, urged learners to believe in themselves and to strive to be leaders filled with self-confidence. “A leader must have a vision, take control and responsibility for his or her life choices,” said Ms James.

According to her, leaders should not see problems but solutions to transform issues into approaches of developmental and empowerment.

She also said that “leaders must develop an eagerness to learn, in order for them to become informed leaders.” Later during the session, learners were given the opportunity to present workable solutions for littering and learners who drop-out from school.

Shortly after Ms James’s presentation, Senior Communicator, Mr Herman Pieters, educated learners about Spekboom plants and the impact they have on the environment. Two Spekbome were donated to the top-performing groups, who then chose the top-contributor in their respective groups as the overall winners to receive a plant each.

In conclusion, learners thanked Garden Route District Municipality for availing themselves to share their wisdom and knowledge with all 40 prefects.