On an annual basis the Osizweni Science Centre holds their Annual General Meeting. This year’s meeting was held on 28 September 2017 at the Secunda Sasol Recreation Club. The purpose of the meeting is to reflect on the previous financial year’s activities and financial report.

The meeting is also used as a platform to network with the Centre’s current and potential stakeholders. The meeting was attended by the Centre’s Founder, Sasol as well as Armscor, Proconics, Thyssenkrupp, KPMG, Megchem and Shisela representing corporate South Africa. Stakeholders and beneficiaries in Education attended in the form of Gert Sibande College, Department of Education officials, principals and teachers.

A clear message reported in the meeting is that there is a definite shift towards the upliftment of Early Childhood Development (ECD). It was reported that a group of 20 ECD practitioners were in the process of being formally trained in ECD level 4.

Success in the class of 2016’s matric results was due to Saturday classes held in support of Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Science and Accounting classes. These also took place in the school holidays, a commitment was made to continue in this effort to support the current crop of Grade 12 learners through to their final exams.

The occasion was graced with the testimonials of two beneficiaries of the Centre, Ms Jana Prinsloo, a teacher bursary holder and Ms Lucia Manthata, founder of Little Harvard’s Kids Academy and a beneficiary to the Osizweni Toy Library. Other speakers included the Acting Regional Director of Gert Sibande Department of Education, Mr PP Magagula; A representative of the Centre’s founder Sasol, Mr Willem Jacobs and a message of support from the Lekwa municipality Mayors office, MMC: VP Malinga.

Stakeholders were assured that the Osizweni Science Centre was in good financial standing “From a governance perspective, I’m pleased to announce that as a non-profit organisation, we remain financially sound with a clean audit for yet another year, giving the board the reassurance that pertinent laws and regulations as well as sound business practices are in place.” said Mr Simon Baloyi, Osizweni Board of Trustees Chairperson.

In closing, Mr Velaphi Gumbi, General Manager of the Centre said “I believe that in the Osizweni community, what we have is an exemplary example of a movement that is built to sustain the change we experience in the context of increased business demands, and the unprecedented levels of stress currently being experienced as a result of the financial constraints most organisations are forced to face. This is due to a very simple philosophy we all uphold at our organisation; that of valuing collaboration and education above all else.”