WESSA Schools Programme Annual Report 2019/2020

Malherbe Human Primary School

Fraserburg, Northern Cape

Malherbe Human Primary is situated in the town of Fraserburg, in the Karoo-Hoogland Municipality, Namakwa District. The area is characterised by the typically sparse yet fascinatingly diverse plant life of the beautiful Nama Karoo landscape, while the town and local farms feature a number of historic buildings. The townsfolk are warm, friendly and humble, yet very proud of their surroundings. Named after a Scottish cleric and immigrant, the Reverend Colin Fraser, Fraserburg was founded in 1851, on a high plateau north of the Nuweveld Mountains, in the West Nuweveld. The area, which is known mostly for livestock farming, has a low annual rainfall and the rivers and wetland areas in the town’s vicinity are seasonal rather than perennial. These seasonal watercourses are part of the natural habitat for the Critically Endangered Riverine Rabbit.

THE SCHOOL’S ECO- JOURNEY

Fraserburg is home to a number of impoverished community members, with limited e m p l o y m e n t opportunities in the town and its surroundings. A

The school’s vision and mission state that they seek to establish a culture of literacy, discipline and nation-building. Malherbe Human Primary has been registered with the Eco-Schools Programme since 2008, when they started working on the school vegetable garden (Healthy Living theme) and on road safety (Local and Global Issues theme), among other projects and programmes. Their quest is to tackle challenges and problems that directly affect the community. Taking pride in the Community and Heritage theme, learners took part in San traditional celebratory ‘ Rieldans ’ practice and competitions. Given the extremely diverse history of the area, there has also been a natural interest in Historical buildings and Cultural heritage (Sustainable Tourism for

number of the town’s inhabitants are dependent on government

subsidies or grants, while a few residents work for various tiers of the government. The school is faced with a number of infrastructural problems which are likely to lead to severe negative impacts in the future. Social issues in the broader community include alcohol- and drug abuse. Many learners stem from single-parent homes, while a number of other learners are raised by their grandparents.

It was in Fraserburg

that law agent HWA Cooper began writing the culturally important ‘ Boerebrieven ’ for Het Volksblad in 1870–under thepseudonym‘Samuel Zwaartman’. Some of the many local attractions include numerous corbelled houses, the De Potjies Trail, the fascinating Gansfontein Palaeosurface, the Old Parsonage Museum, and the ‘Peperbus’ – an unusual hexagonal building which is a national monument.

The school’s vision and mission state that they seek to establish a culture of literacy, discipline and nation-building.

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