Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma will officiate at the sod-turning ceremony of a site on which a school would be built at Lwamondokop village outside Modjadjiskloof in Limpopo today.

The school will be built with funds donated by the Jacob Zuma Trust Fund (JZTF).

Zuma will also participate in a door-to-door campaign in Giyani aimed at encouraging people to vote in the area's by-election.

Cynthia Nhlenyama of the JZTF yesterday confirmed that Zuma would be attending the sod-turning ceremony.

He said the school to be built will have eight classrooms and an administration block.

"The project will cost about R300000," said Nhlenyama.

"We have received a donation in the form of building materials from a Limpopo-based company called Sizani Build It and we are grateful for that."

She said the materials were valued at about R200000. Nhlenyama said the community in Lwamondokop had approached JZTF for funds to build them a primary school because they had not had one for many years.

Greater Letaba municipal mayor, Joshua Matlou, who is also provincial chairman of the ANC Youth League, said the donation by the JZTF was a good gesture that shows that Zuma had the interest of the community at heart.

He said: "For many years, children had to travel long distances to go to to school."

"Most of them arrived at school already tired because of the distance and that caused them not to concentrate in class."

Matlou said the area also needed a bridge because on rainy days, children had to stay home because of the swollen rivers they had to cross on their way to school.

He said the school would also benefit parents who would be willing to attend adult basic education lessons.

The project is expected to create about 200 jobs for the local people.