Makhado muni planting seeds of literacy

With the aim of promoting the reading habit and building vocabulary and communication skills, Makhado Local Municipality launched a readathon campaign at Tshamakwatini Secondary School’s Sports Ground in Ha-Mavhunga on Saturday.

When addressing the community members who had braved the chilly weather, Mayor Samuel Munyai said that the readathon was a literacy-awareness campaign that focused on encouraging the joy of reading. He added that this kind of event usually had a time limit, where one set a certain goal one would like to reach.

Munyai said that one of the basic reasons why reading was important was because it helped one to grow mentally, emotionally and psychologically. "Every book gives you an opportunity to learn new things and explore new ideas. Reading increases your knowledge and makes you smarter. We encourage you to visit our libraries frequently," he said.

The mayor also handed over school uniforms to learners from destitute families. "We want them to go to school looking beautiful like the other learners," he said.

"We also encourage you to refrain from xenophobic attacks. We should love each other and live in peace. Foreigners are also people and we should give them love. We also condemn the abuse of women and children," he said.

Ms Mihloti Mayevu from the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture said that reading was a foundational skill for academic and cognitive development, as well as for life-long success. "We must redouble the effort to expand reading opportunities and to create a reading nation in South Africa. Parents, children, workers and all in our society should be encouraged to read. The importance of school libraries cannot be underestimated in improving our children’s minds," Mayevu said.

Date:13 September 2019

By: Mbulaheni Ridovhona

The 22-year-old Mbulaheni (Gary) Ridovhona has been passionate about journalism to the extent that he would buy himself a copy of weekly Univen students' newsletter, Our Voice. After reading, he would write stories about his rural village, Mamvuka, and submit them to the very newsletter for publication. His deep-rooted love for words and writing saw him register for a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies at the University of Venda, and joined the Limpopo Mirror team in February 2016 as a journalism intern.

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