Lindiwe Zulu pleads with parents to read to children

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu on Friday at Masibulele Daycare; pleaded with parents to allocate more time reading books to their children instead of binge-watching television soapies.

Opening of Masibulele Daycare Centre

The minister addressed the parents during the opening of Masibulele Daycare Centre in Mdantsane, East London.

The centre was built by the social development department’s National Development Agency (NDA) for R200,000 after the previous building burnt down, leaving pupils learning in a temporary shack structure.

“There is a problem when parents send their children to daycare centres and spend those five to six hours but are not getting taught in their homes. Education starts at home, goes to classroom and continues when the child gets home. The motivation of children is an ongoing process.”

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu

Less TV time requests Zulu

Zulu said many parents neglect their children and say they don’t have time while they spend hours watching soapies on television.

Further she praised Nonkosi Nasonti-Makunga, the founder of the daycare centre, for her commitment to children’s development, her perseverance until the NDA came to the rescue to build a new facility and private donors like Nutriwell, a company that packages nutrition products, for sponsoring R50,000 in kitchen appliances and nutritional meals for the pupils.

The NDA also donated R2-million for further extension and paving at the daycare centre. Zulu urged that the money to be used for a local builder to do the extension and paving work.

Sassa’s new hands-on approach

In the aid of up to 800 Early Child Development (ECD) centres, which serve as Sassa service points. Last week, Zulu is set to go door to door paying a visit to these service points in the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal ensuring that service delivery is met.

The minister conducted an on-site inspection for the construction of a new building for the Masibulele Day Care Centre in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape on Friday. This centre is funded by the National Development Agency and over 60 children registered there are under the social grant and the further R518 million is in place to upgrade and maintain the ECD centres.

African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Chantall Presence further editing by Buhle Lindwa