The NVTA and SAVABA’s Joy Oldale joined presenters from 94.5 Kfm and 567 CapeTalk at Norma Road Primary to give 67 minutes of their time in support of Mandela Day on 18 July. 

The school is situated in a sub-economic housing area in Silvertown, Athlone, a suburb of Cape Town. Initially housed in a British army barracks in Kewtown, Norma Road Primary occupied its present premises in July 1949 without a school bench, table or chair. The lack of amenities did not, however, deter the educators and the students and meaningful learning has been the order of the day at this school for the past 58 years.

Established during the early years of the old Apartheid Regime, Norma Road Primary was intended to serve the so-called coloured community who had been displaced after the forced removal of people from their homes. Over the years, the school has seen a steady decline in the number of educators as a result of national government’s rationalisation policy, but those who have remained have provided the school with a sense of stability.

Learners are generally from fairly poor homes in Silvertown, Bridgetown, Kewton, Parktown, Gugulethu, Nyanga and Khayalitsha. While recognised as an Afrikaans speaking school, approximately 45 per cent of the learners are Xhosa speaking and this impacts on literacy levels at the school and, in turn, on each of the learning areas.

Joy assisted presenter Aden Thomas who broadcast from the school as parcels were handed out to the informal settlements in the Vygieskraal catchment.

Tags: 67 minutes, Joy Oldale, Mandela