Siphelele Nketo 

ACTS of kindness by a police sergeant in Harry Gwala have benefitted school children from Ethembeni Junior Primary and Zwelibanzi Junior Primary in Umzimkhulu.

Three learners from each school received brand new uniforms as a form of celebrating the birthday of police sergeant Sipho Duma.

Part of Duma’s birthday celebration on June 3 involved sharing lunch with young people at Rietvlei taxi rank.

Duma’s unique way of celebrating his birthdays started in 2021 when he saw a little child going to school in Ibisi wearing worn-out shoes. After that incident, he stopped his normal celebrations, and instead put together his money to buy a new school uniform for the child.

“I started with one leaner, not to gain fame but to reach out from the goodness of my heart and as a caring community member,” he said.

He said that lack of proper uniforms disturbs concentration in school. In the following year, Duma bought new school uniforms for two learners, and that became a norm for him as he did the same in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

“In 2023, I donated school uniforms to three learners, four learners in 2024, and five learners in 2025. My initiative has been gaining support from individuals who are inspired by my work. Celebrating my birthdays this way felt more meaningful than anything else,” he added.

His initiative of reaching out to the needy has been moving from one school to another each year. He said he stopped accepting birthday gifts from his friends and colleagues, but converted those gifts into something more meaningful for the lives of school children. His initiatives are a success through partnerships with school principals that identify needy learners.

His ambitions are to gather young learners for lunch, have important conversations about life and also to register an organisation dedicated to assisting those in need.