By By Marcus Motshegwa
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) together with the provincial Department of Education handed over a token of appreciation to an educator, Ms Dikeledi Mokhothu, who was awarded a national winner at the recent Baswa le Meetse 2025, under the auspices of Water and Sanitation Education Programme.
Ms Mokhothu is an educator from Setshabelo Primary School in Welkom, who mentored the learners that participated in the competition. She scooped the first position for Matjhabeng Local Municipality in the Free State and also won the first position nationally in the Poster category of the competitions.
The young learner’s team led by Ms Mokhothu participated in a series of competitions that started from District competitions, until they reached the National Adjudications recently held in Benoni, Gauteng Province on 06 to 11 October 2025.
The handing over event took place on the 11th of November 2025 in Setshabelo Primary School under the jubilation of SGB, learners and educators and the school management who wished well to the hardworking mentor and educator Ms Dikeledi Mokhothu.
Apart from the R30 000.00 monetary prize won by the learners on behalf of their school, the Department saw a need to recognise and award the hardworking educators who guided the school learners throughout the Baswa Le Meetse Competitions.
The educator received a tablet, as a token of appreciation for their hard work and dedication to ensure that the learners are capacitated in the field of education and career development.
According to Mr Vukani Mtya Deputy Director Water and Sanitation Education Program, the competitions, learners are exposed to water reservation and hygiene initiatives that they use to educate the community. He said it is important to educate the young minds because they are the leaders of the future.
“Through educators we channel the right information to learners so that they become responsible citizens and further their interest to better their careers within the sector. The Water and Sanitation Education Program (WSEP) is a passage for learners participating at grassroots intermediate phase Baswa le Meetse that gets transitioned to high school programs such as South African Youth Water Price (SAYWP), Public Speaking and Aqua Enduro competitions that leads to bursary awards. The bursary pays for the learner’s tuition at any institution of their choice and they are also exposed to get employment within the water sector,” said Mr Myta.
The educator Ms Dikeledi Mokhothu participated in a program called (BLM) Baswa le Meetse meaning Youth in Water. She had a theme that had to be presented and connect with what would be the artform where character and conduct fused together to form a winning Poster at National Awards.
The department encouraged Ms Mokhothu to prosper and continue doing her best as it befit to acknowledge her effort in the program, and to further be the ambassador and a change advocate to Baswa le Meetse program.
The competitions stated at district level and proceeded to provincial competitions where Matjhabeng Local Municipality cooped the ticket to represent the Free State as a Province at National competitions.
Ms Mokhothu said: As an educator”, I have managed to present my learner’s Poster which covered issues on water, hygiene use and care of sanitation facilities. The support from the Department of Water and Sanitation really warmed my heart, as a teacher because educators are not recognised in most competitions that we participate in. This token of appreciation serves as an encouragement for me and other educators to go beyond expectations to educate our learners. The ceremony was a special day for me, and my learners were given a platform of honour in front of my fellow colleagues. My state-of-the-art tablet will come handy for my work preparations also help in eliminating unnecessary paperwork.
The Department also acknowledged the EW SETA that contributed the ablets, and this not only applauds the work done by the educators but it will also assist the educators in their Annual Teaching Plan (ATP) and enable them to load documents relating to the education curriculum.
Mr Mokoena, the Principal of Setshabelo Primary school congratulated Ms Mokhothu on her outstanding award she brought to the school. She lauded her support to the learners who won the Provincial R10 000.00 award on behalf of the school, and also taking the learners to the Nationals Awards and won the Poster category bringing with the amount of R20000.00, bringing in a total of R30 000.00 to the school.
The principal further said that the school prides itself with Ms Mokhothu who represented the Free State at National Teachers Awards in 2024. “We are proud of our dynamite as she is affectionately called. We are grateful of her continuing to put the name of Setshabelo Primary School on the map”, concluded Mr Mokoena”.
The department urges both educators and learners to participate in the Water and Sanitation Education Program comprising of Baswa le Meetse for intermediate phase and high school Aqua Enduro, SAYWP and Public Speaking. To contact Nkosinathi Zungu @ 082 556 0545 and Kelebohile Saha @ 073 440 8781
