Minister Zulu Kicks-off Back-to-School Outreach Programme in Cape Town, Western Cape

The Minister of Social Development, Ms. Lindiwe Zulu, is set to conduct a back-to-school outreach programme in the Western Cape Province on Thursday and Friday, January 25-26, 2024. The primary purpose of this initiative is to assess the readiness of schools for the 2024 academic year, ensuring effective interventions where necessary.

Minister Zulu will kick off the programme with a visit to the Cape Town Society for the Blind alongside the Turkish Ambassador to South Africa, Her Excellency Ambassador Ayşegül Kandaş Ayşegül. This visit will mark the official handover of a renovated basket workshop, courtesy of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).

Through the basket workshop, the Cape Town Society for the Blind seeks to improve the livelihoods of the blind and visually impaired basket makers by linking them to markets. The NGO was previously supported by the National Development Agency (NDA), an entity of the Department of Social Development (DSD).

As part of the back-to-school initiative, Minister Zulu and Ambassador Kandaş will also visit Siviwe Special School for the official handover of an upholstery workshop, catering to the special educational and skills needs of learners with disabilities. This follows their visit to the school last year, where they inaugurated a mobile library.

On Friday, January 26, Minister Zulu will participate in the official opening of the International Maarif School in Claremont, Western Cape.