Send me... to buy sewing machines‚ says KZN Treasury

The KwaZulu-Natal Treasury has been inspired by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s message of philanthropy to donate high-tech machines to a prison and a women’s collective in the province.

The provincial treasury said on Tuesday that it had donated sewing equipment to the Ncome prison in Vryheid. The donations included two overlocker machines‚ two electric flat machines and one industrial sewing machine.

The Lethukuthula Co-Operative‚ made up of 12 women who mostly make church uniforms‚ received two electric flat machines and two overlockers.

The donations were inspired by a visit to the Vryheid area last August‚ the department said in a statement. Finance MEC Belinda Scott was “moved when she heard of the need to assist the inmates at Ncome Correctional facility and Lethukuthula Co-Operative”.

“When government visited this district last year during a Legislature Programme‚ a request was made to assist this correctional centre to buy sewing machines that would be used to rehabilitate inmates‚” said Simiso Magagula‚ head of department.

“Today we are responding to that request. In his State of the Nation Address‚ President Cyril Ramaphosa quoted late musician Hugh Masekela’s famous song Thuma Mina.

The message in the lyrics of the song is about self-sacrifice‚ taking responsibility‚ reaching out to the needy‚ creating change and improving the lives of the people. Masekela sang the song to jostle us into action and turn people’s lives around.”

Nonhlanhla Mwelase of the Lethukuthula Co-Operative said: “We are very happy for receiving machines to use.

This also means that now we will be able to stand on our own and to produce quality products. The donated machines will increase our capacity.”