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Unused furniture finds new home at local school
Author: Pia Nänny
Published: 04/04/2018

Unused furniture in the Departments of Genetics and Agronomy found a new home at Kayamandi Primary after the school's need for furniture was brought to the Faculty of AgriSciences' attention.

An article which appeared in the local newspaper EikestadNuus in January mentioned that although the education department had donated two new classrooms to the school, these classrooms had no furniture.

Mr Willem Botes, a senior lecturer in the Department of Genetics, sent the article to Dr MJ Freeborough, faculty manager, who requested that Ms Farida Martin, technical officer in the Department of Agronomy, look into the possibility of donating furniture to the school. This was done with the approval of Prof Nick Kotze, chairperson of the Department of Agronomy.

The furniture had been removed from of the old lecture hall at the Winter Grain Building and was being stored in the Department of Agronomy's warehouse.

“I met with the principal, Mr Mdekazi, who came to our warehouse to see what we had to offer the school. I also contacted the university's asset register manager to ensure that none of the furniture was on the asset register anymore," says Farida.

On Wednesday, 14 March, 64 benches for the learners, 28 chairs, three steel drawer cabinets, two steel filing cabinets, four wooden tables and a refrigerator were loaded and transported to Kayamandi Primary.

“The school was very excited about and grateful for the donation. By the time we arrived there with the second load, some of the chairs in the first load had already been moved to their new places.

“There was definitely a great need for the furniture and the Faculty is very pleased that it could assist the school in such a way."