MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
Thursday 10 January 2019
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Establishment of The Zondo & Bux Educational Trust
An act of kindness 38 years ago has led to the establishment of an educational trust to benefit pupils requiring funding for education. At the same time, pupils and staff at Amazabeko High School and Emazabekwini Primary School also scored indirectly from this act of kindness.
When the Deputy Chief Justice of the country, Judge Zondo, matriculated, he knew that he was going to get a bursary to study law. But he was in a dilemma – if he went on to university, there would be no one to take care of the needs of his mother and siblings. He went to see Mr Suleman Bux, owner of Kwa Moosa Wholesalers, at the town of Ixopo. He explained his situation to him, and asked for assistance. Without batting an eyelid, nor setting anything down on paper, Mr Bux gave him a voucher for his mother to collect groceries from his shop on a monthly basis for the three years during which he was going to be at university.
When the now Judge Zondo obtained his law degree, he went back to Mr Bux to ask him how he could repay him. Mr Bux told him not to repay him and said: “Just do for others what I have done for you,” or words to that effect. This story went viral after Judge Zondo recounted it at his interview for the post of Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa. In October 2017, the Women’s Cultural Group in association with Albaraka Bank hosted a dinner to get the Zondo and Bux families together. At that dinner, it was mooted that a bursary fund be set up to assist historically-disadvantaged pupils who might be in the same boat in which Judge Zondo found himself so many years ago. At that dinner over R250,000-00 was raised and led to the formation of The Zondo & Bux Educational Trust. Through this Trust, Judge Zondo is able to do for others what Mr Bux had done for him. And Mr Bux continues with his philanthropic work.
Some key information on the Trust:
- Chairman: Mr Suleman Bux
- Vice Chairman: Judge Raymond Zondo
- Secretary: Mr Shabir Chohan
- Trustee: Mrs Sithembile Zondo
- Trustee: Mr Mohamed Bux
- Objectives include providing funding for education, scholarships and bursaries
- Inaugural meeting of the Trust was held on 20 December 2018 and the Trustees are in the process of identifying potential students to provide funding.
When personnel from the Educational Trust went to Amazabeko High School, they found that the school required funding to complete a hall that was started in 2016. The Trustees of the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) then approved just over R200,000-00 to complete the hall. The Principal of the school, Mr Gambushe said, “The funding for the completion of the hall was welcome – in fact we wrote our Matric Examination in the hall in 2018.” Together with the announcement of the funding for bursaries and scholarships, the handover of the hall also took place at the ceremony on Thursday 10th January 2019.
After his appointment as Deputy Chief Justice of the country, Justice Zondo visited the area where he grew up as a boy, namely Emazabekweni, and Emazabekweni Primary School in Ixopo where he completed his primary education. On that occasion, the principal of Emazabekweni Primary School, Mr ML Dlamini, informed Justice Zondo that the school did not have proper toilets for staff and learners. He said that they needed a school hall and help with some of the existing classrooms because the roofs were leaking and this created problems when it was raining. He appealed to Justice Zondo to assist them to get the provincial government to help them or to find other people who could help. Justice Zondo undertook to give the matter his personal attention. Approaches made by Justice Zondo to the provincial government were not successful. Justice Zondo mentioned to Mr Shabir Chohan who was working on the establishment of The Zondo & Bux Educational Trust, that he was looking for people who could assist urgently with at least building proper toilets for Emazabekweni Primary School. Mr Chohan approached the Trustees of the South African Muslim Charitable Trust who agreed to assist.
The SAMCT team visited this 93-year old primary school and the principal confirmed the school’s need for proper toilets for both learners and teachers. The pit toilets that they had were indeed a health hazard. However, the team realised that even more important was the need for water. The Trustees of the SAMCT approved a donation of R1 million to establish a borehole and build toilets for both pupils and staff.
The Principal of the 93-year-old Emazabekweni Primary School, Mr ML Dlamini, said: “Our school services children from a disadvantaged socio-economic background. Since most of these learners do not have even basic services, they depend largely on the school. Maximum use will be made of our toilets and washbasins. The water from the borehole will be a boon.”
Commenting on the Trust and the infrastructure development at both the schools, Judge Zondo said: “Education is so important, and via The Zondo & Bux Educational Trust it is envisaged that a difference will be made in providing access to tertiary education to pupils from disadvantaged rural communities. Furthermore, clean water is an essential basis for a healthy life. Although a scarce resource in our country, it is a vital resource and, in an ideal environment, all our citizens should have direct access to water. Such an environment is sadly lacking, leaving many disadvantaged communities still living without potable water for drinking, washing or food security. I take this opportunity to thank Mr Bux for his continuing philanthropic work. I also thank Mr Shabir Chohan of Albaraka Bank who is also the secretary of The Zondo & Bux Educational Trust for his support for the trust and for approaching the Trustees of the South African Muslim Charitable Trust to assist with the donations that they have provided for the completion of the hall at Amazabeko High School and for the borehole and the building of proper toilets for teachers and learners at Emazabekweni Primary School. I am deeply grateful to all of them for their assistance to these two schools which serves the community of Emazabekweni in Ixopo where I grew up.”
“We are, therefore, pleased to be a catalyst to provide financial support for the provision of toilets, the sinking of a borehole and pump installation, so providing basic sanitation and water on-tap for the school’s learners, who were previously denied a basic service which so many of us take for granted.”
Ends
For more information about SAMCT or The Zondo & Bux Educational Trust, please contact:
Rasheeda Motala
Social Responsibility Co-ordinator
Tel: 084 506 2280
Email: samct@samct.co.za
Or
Farouk Bayat
083 368 8525