A group of 8 vehicles and 16 adult men set off on Wednesday 27th April 2011, from Pipers Pub in Uitzicht, to visit and transport goodies for the kids at Witbank Primary School, just west of the little town of Pofadder. A Land Cruiser left the day before, coming all the way from Mussina, Limpopo.

There are about 30 families living in Witbank, in an array of different structures. The school, Witbank Primary, positioned south of the settlement, does not even have a name on its wall. It is headed up by a husband and wife team, from Pella some 70 kilometres away, who has taken up the positions of headmaster and teacher. There are 28 pupils from Grade R to Grade 5.
We decided a few weeks prior, to give something back to that community, who would have lost their farming areas in the floods. They are sustenance farmers, whose crops were flooded during the Gariep flooding its banks in April.

We had many sponsors, who gave, all in all, a complete school outfit for the 28 children. Included were that each pupil would receive a starter pack consisting of a pencil case with pen, pencil, ruler and eraser and including a water bottle. Two netball posts, two sets of different colored bibs for soccer or netball, balls for various sports and pumps to keep them in good condition. There were boxes of exercise books and other stationary, including /t shirts and bags of other clothing. This all had to be transported to Witbank.

We travelled on our first day to Verneukpan, a distance of over 600km and camped a few kilometers from the actual Verneukpan, where all the land speed records are driven. That night the last vehicle to join our convoy, from Mussina arrived. Our convoy was now complete. We were now 9 fully equipped off road vehicles. During the night the temperature dropped to minus 7deg C. We were all dressed like Eskimos the next morning while drinking coffee and dunking rusks. Our visit to the pan that morning was disappointing, as the gate to the pan was locked.

A Very Cold Verneukpan!!

However we carried on through to Pofadder and Pella, passed the mission church and our first camp site along the mighty Gariep was in the Goob se Laagte dry river bed, just north of Pella. And this was a mere 20 meters from the Gariep River. We spent two nights at this camp, resting, looking at birds and fishing for Geelvis. Not much Geelvis as the water was fast flowing, but the Pied and Giant Kingfishers were hunting all day.
The third day we arrived in the little community of Witbank at about lunchtime. We looked for Hendrik Stuurman, the Community Development Worker. He was our go between and had been serving the community and living in Witbank for the last 50 years. He had cleared us a lovely camping spot alongside the river, but warned us not to venture too far from the banks as there are serious and dangerous undercurrents. We discussed what was to be the order of the day on Monday, Workers Day when we arrive at the school.

Early the next morning, we drove into Witbank. The town was there to greet us, waving and shouting, and we felt like celebrities. Hendrik was standing with the children, as humble as always. The mothers arrived, very shy but their eyes were shining with gratitude when we offloaded the packets and boxes.

There was a lot of jostling for photographs with banners flying high. As Hendrik is a sports fanatic, we handed over a full set of golf clubs to him.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPONSORS

Most of the parents were close to tears and that night, around the fire, there was camaraderie in our group that only a day spent giving could bring about.

We travelled to Grootmelkboom the next day. We were met with an invasion of small flies and later a sandstorm hit us, blowing mattresses and tents away. We carried on to Amam, where we rode the red dunes. We eventually arrived in Springbok after a couple of days, via Goodhouse. We over-nighted in the Springbok Hotel, washing away the dust and sleeping in proper beds again.
We had many stories to tell our folk back home, how good it was to give, to a community so poor and the thanks in their eyes and actions. This could become an annual thing.

So to all the sponsors and those who laboured behind the scenes, a very big thank you to you all.
• METROPOLITAN ASSET MANAGEMENT, shirts, trousers, windbreakers
• AUTO & GENERAL, jerseys
• BURNCO 4X4, sport bibs, exercise books
• NOSMESA, netball poles,
• DIE BURGER, T shirts and water bottles
• PEP STORES, assistance and good discounts
• DART STATIONERS, pencil cases and stationary
• SKILLS GOLF, golf set
• BBD, T shirts
Until next time.

Compiled by: Greg Brand

UMENZI ADVENTURES

Should you wish to find out more, go to www.umenziprojects.co.za or contact us on info@umenziprojects.co.za