Sibongile Mashaba

Sibongile Mashaba

Zandile Galela, 13, wants to be a magistrate when she grows up.

Galela is a Grade 7 pupil at Elsie Ngidi Primary School in Tshiawelo, Soweto. She was among a group of girl pupils who visited work places yesterday as part of Cell C's "Take a girl child to work day".

Zandile and her mates visited the Johannesburg magistrate's court.

She said: "I want to study law and be a magistrate when I grow up. I want to enforce the law.

"Today I learnt how courts operate and what one should and should not do in court. I appreciate the opportunity to learn about my intended career at such a young age."

Tsholofelo Appie, 12, also attends Elsie Ngidi Primary and also wants to be a magistrate.

"I learnt that I should not steal or do anything wrong because I will be sent to jail for a long time. I will focus on my studies and achieve my goals and be the best that I can be," said Tsholofelo.

Pupils from other schools were hosted at Booysens police station.

They were given guidelines about careers from police officers to special task unit members.

Joburg Water hosted Zakariah Park Combined School, near Lenasia.

Rand Water's bulk sanitation specialist Thokozani Boikhutso said: "Women are increasingly entering professions that were traditionally male dominated and did not attract female participation, mostly due to lack of information and support. Initiatives such as this are a great source of information gathering."