WATCH | Ramaphosa to revamp his old high school as visit video causes a stir

President Cyril Ramaphosa retracing his childhood memories at the weekend by visiting his old high school, Raluswielo Secondary in Venda, has caused a stir. 

On Saturday Ramaphosa visited the school, formerly known as Mphaphuli High, which he attended in 1971. The president made the visit while he was in the Vhembe district in Limpopo for his keynote address for the National Day of Reconciliation in Thohoyandou Stadium.

Videos showing the president doing a walkabout at the school with dilapidated infrastructure went viral on social media and attracted backlash for the head of government.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the school was due for upgrades through the president’s Adopt-a-School Foundation programme, but he wanted to visit before renovations start in 2024. 

“He wanted to see it before the work to upgrade it commences” she said.

Ramaphosa is the chair of the Adopt-a-School Foundation, according to the non-profit organisation which helps refurbish schools across the country. The president has been involved in the initiative since the early 2000s. 

“In 2001 Cyril Ramaphosa was approached by his former primary school, Tshilidzi Primary in Soweto, to assist with the donation of a fax machine. When he returned to his school to hand over the donation and saw the needs of the school, the notion of the Adopt-a-School Foundation was born,” background on the foundation reads.

“In 2002, the foundation was officially established by a group of concerned individuals including Cyril Ramaphosa and Dr James Motlatsi.”

According to the organisation it has helped more than 200 disadvantaged schools with assistance from other foundations, ordinary South Africans and the private sector. 

TimesLIVE