GQEBERHA, SOUTH AFRICA – A once-empty play area at Heatherbank Primary School has been transformed into a colourful road safety bike track, giving the school's youngest learners a fun and interactive space to play while learning valuable road safety skills.
The project formed part of a Mandela Day initiative coordinated by The Community Chest of the Eastern Cape & DG Capital. Kelston Motor Group joined several local businesses in volunteering their time and resources to uplift different areas of the school.
Each participating organisation selected a project where it could make the greatest impact. Kelston Motor Group adopted the school's pre-primary play area, where employees spent the day painting a miniature road safety bike track, installing miniature road signs and donating push bikes to create an engaging outdoor learning environment.
Designed to encourage active play while introducing children to the basics of road safety, the completed bike track will provide a lasting benefit for the school's youngest learners.
Heatherbank Primary School has a remarkable story of resilience. After closing in 2012 due to declining enrolment and infrastructure challenges, the school reopened in 2013 with just 33 learners. Today, it serves 162 learners, most of whom come from Walmer Township, one of Gqeberha's largest informal settlements.
"Mandela Day is about making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve," said Thanusha Pillay, Group Marketing Manager at Kelston Motor Group. This bike track is more than just a place to play – it's a space where children can build confidence, learn important road safety skills and simply enjoy being children."
Colette Theron, Marketing Manager at Community Chest, said partnerships such as these demonstrate the power of collective action.
Kelston Motor Group is proud to have partnered with Community Chest and fellow local businesses to celebrate the spirit of Mandela Day by investing in a project that will leave a lasting legacy for the learners of Heatherbank Primary School.
