The family of a 15-year-old grade 6 pupil who used a donkey as a mode of transport to school is calling on Good Samaritans to land a helping hand.
This after the pictures of Faranani Mabuli from Muremelani village in Nzhelele outside Thohoyandou, sitting on his donkey while wearing partly-torn school uniform, went viral on social media on Wednesday – with a caption calling on people to help him.
The family told Sowetan that Faranani’s donkey died early this year, and now he has to walk 3km to Tshiheni Primary School at Tshiheni village.
His aunt Selinah Nemadivhe, 45, said for the past two years Faranani had been using his donkey to school and he arrived on time. “He got his donkey from a neighbour who saw his struggle to go to school. In February this year he found his donkey dead. It broke his heart as he had to walk for 1 hour 20 minutes to school, and it is not safe,” she said.
She said they are calling on anyone who can donate a bicycle to him or pay for his scholar transport to help.
“I’m not working and I have six children to look after and we depend on social grants. I took Faranani under my care when his mother and father died in 2011 and 2008 respectively.
“I tried to pay for his scholar transport but I would fail to pay some months because of the number of children who depend on me,” she said.
Department of education spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said the department offers scholar transport to learners attending school outside of 5km radius.
Faranani’s cousin Mpho Rambelani, 25, said he studied at the very same school, adding that the safety of the learners is not guaranteed as they walk through the bushes to school.
“This is not Faranani’s problem alone because there are at least more than 10 pupils who walk from Muremelani to Tshiheni on a daily basis. We understand that they don’t qualify for free scholar transport but we will appreciate any assistance,” he said.
Rambelani said the neighbour who donated the donkey to Faranani also died in 2018.
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