After more than 80 years of existence, Langa High School has joined a group of township schools with their own school halls.
Now the school will no longer have to look for accommodation to host major events thanks to Garden City Archway Foundation and the Department of Education which helped fund the R6.2 million hall which was opened on Wednesday October 11.
And the foundation is eager to deliver more sustainable initiatives to change township education.
Deputy principal and initiator of the building project, Nombeko Ndlovu said there was a need for a school hall. “We should have celebrated our 80th anniversary, but we had to channel the little we had to this project. That left us with no money. But we are excited that we finally have a hall. The days of hiring and begging for places to have our activities are over. When it is raining we will be able to hold our prayer assembly here.
“This is a great moment for the school,” she said.
Principal Mrhwebi Mgugu said the hall meant a lot to the school and the community of Langa-to whom the hall also belonged.
He assured accessibility, convenience and affordability for anyone who wanted to use it to benefit the community.
“This is for the school and also for the community of Langa. We need to ensure that the community have access to it. But they need to protect it,” he said.
Garden Cities chief executive officer John Matthews praised the partnership between the department and the organisation and stressed that his organisation was not in the business of giving handouts.
Garden Cities is a residential development company whose board set up the Archway Foundation 11 years ago.
Community member Pastor Sipho Zondi reiterated Mr Matthews’ sentiments that there should be partnerships between the businesses and the schools. He also made a call to pupils and the community to look after the hall.
“We urge you to really look after this hall. May the hall be used for the development of this community and not for things that will demean the community.
“We are doing this for us, but mostly for our children. I hope that our great-grand children will find in a better state. We need to take it good care of this facility,” he said.
