GA-MASHASHANE - Founded in 1928 by the Catholic Brothers of Charity, Pax College in Ga-Mashashane, about 30 kilometres outside Polokwane, has a proud legacy of providing educational opportunities to children from disadvantaged communities.
Its alumni include South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago, Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa and NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
Now, former pupils are joining forces to restore the school’s former glory through the Make Pax Great fundraising initiative, aimed at improving its ageing infrastructure and providing much-needed resources.
Kganyago says the school lost many of its donors after apartheid and was subsequently absorbed by the Limpopo Department of Education.
After several visits, he became concerned about the deteriorating infrastructure. Other alumni shared his concerns, prompting them to establish the Pax Alumni Foundation to mobilise resources and preserve the institution’s legacy.
The initiative is also about giving back to a school that helped shape the lives and careers of generations of successful South Africans.
“We benefitted from this. Even today, Pax is a quality school that offers access to education to kids from poor villages around it,” says Kganyago.
The alumni hope their efforts will ensure future generations continue to benefit from the opportunities Pax College has provided for nearly a century.