Giyani - Communications Minister Faith Muthambi is in Giyani, Limpopo, where she will spend New Year's Eve with patients at the Evuxakeni Psychiatric Hospital.
When she visited the hospital last year as part of National Imbizo Focus Week and Nelson Mandela Day, Minister Muthambi decided to assist in improving the facility and making it a centre of hope for the more than 250 patients living there.
“I look forward to spending New Year's Eve with patients. It's touching for me because these are the people who are always forgotten and isolated in our society… this is how I intend to re-live the legacy and values of our late former President Nelson Mandela,” she said.
During her first visit to the hospital where she led a clean-up campaign, the Minister discovered that some of the walls were cracked, there was a shortage of staff, the kitchen was dilapidated, the toilet’s pipes needed to be replaced and there was a shortage of geysers.
Following the Minister’s intervention, the cracks have been fixed, the kitchen has been revamped, toilet pipes have been fixed and patients are now bathing in hot water as there are geysers. There is also a huge improvement when it comes to filling vacant posts.
Earlier this year, the Minister returned to the facility to clean, trim trees and paint the walls in honour and celebration of Mandela Day in July. The joy and excitement was visible to the patients who lined up at the gate to welcome her.
Today, the Minister will not arrive at the hospital empty handed. Through a partnership with the business sector and other stakeholders, the Minister will hand over a gift basket and donate a new uniform for the patient’s choir.
She will also conduct a walkabout and interact with the nursing staff.
Zama-Zama challenge
After spending time with patients, Minister Muthambi will go to Home village, outside Giyani, to officiate at the annual Zama-Zama soccer challenge, organised and sponsored by the local Premier Soccer League (PSL) referee, Tinyiko Victor Hlungwani.
A total of 36 teams from Giyani and the surrounding villages are part of this year’s annual soccer tournament, however, opening matches have already been played on December 16.
The tournament’s new champions will pocket R20 000, a trophy, a new soccer kit, and gold medals, while the runners-up will take home R10 000 and silver medals.
All the teams that will be booted in the semifinal stage will each receive R5 000, while the top goal scorer, the best referee of the tournament, player of the tournament, coach of the tournament and goalkeeper of the tournament will also receive prizes.-SAnews.gov.za
