Yomelela Primary receives computer donation after burglary

Shoprite's Lunga Schoeman left with Sibongiseni Dlaku, principal of Yomelela Primary School.

A well known chain store recently demonstrated its heart for the Khayelitsha community when it replaced the computers and equipment a local school lost in a recent burglary.

The retailer reached out to following a break-in late last year in which its computer lab was robbed of equipment to the value of R120 000.

Representatives from the retailer’s IT department as well as store staff were present when computers and headsets, among others, were handed over to the school last week.

“The equipment will help in our delivery of a quality education for each learner in our school. It is through support like this that Shoprite establishes itself as a true member of our community. It shows that it is not only here to take our money, it genuinely cares for the community and ploughs back in significant ways,” says Sibongiseni Dlaku, principal of the school.

“We want to commend Shoprite for responding to the school’s situation. The burglary was regrettable and hopefully the extra security measures will safeguard the equipment in the computer lab so that the learners will continue to benefit from it well into the future,” said Jessica Shelver, spokesperson for Education MEC Debbie Schafer.

“As a business with heart, we’re always on the look-out for opportunities where we can assist the communities in which we trade. The school was one of the stand-out performers in our Smart Water Meter Challenge last year, so when we heard of the burglary, we simply had to help,” says Lunga Schoeman, Shoprite’s CSI spokesperson.

The school principal emphasised that the school’s assets were in fact community assets and that it was the entire community’s responsibility to look after them.