DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND KZN MEC HAND OVER UNIFORMS TO LEARNERS IN MKHOBA AS PART OF OUTREACH PROGRAMME

By Bongi Shozi.

• Sixty-seven school uniforms were handed over to learners in Mkhoba in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
• The handover was part of the South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme, which aims to reach vulnerable communities with both social relief and essential services.
• Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks highlighted the significance of restoring children’s dignity through basic support such as school uniforms.

Sixty-seven school uniforms were handed over to disadvantaged learners in Ward 8 in Mkhoba, a rural area to the south west of Msunduzi in KwaZulu-Natal.

The presentation on 8 July 2025, part of ongoing efforts to restore dignity and promote inclusivity in education, saw the Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks and the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development, Mbali Shinga, led the handover in the Umuziwabantu Local Municipality.

They were joined the acting Regional Executive Manager of SASSA, Simlindile Jabavu, and representatives from the National Development Agency.

The initiative was part of SASSA’s Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme, which aims to reach vulnerable communities with both social relief and essential services.

The gesture underscores the government’s commitment to tackling the socio-economic challenges that hinder children’s access to education, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Hendricks highlighted the significance of restoring children’s dignity through basic support such as school uniforms.

MEC Shinga emphasised that the provincial Department of Social Development remains steadfast in creating inclusive and empowering environments for learners by bridging inequalities in education access.

The Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme continues to serve as a platform for integrated service delivery, ensuring that no child is left behind.