A 100th Library, A Million Dreams-DP World and Motus Community Trust Tackles South Africa’s Literacy Crisis

Thabo Motlhabi

According to the Department of Basic Education, only around 30% of South African learners in Grades 1–8 meet reading benchmarks in their home language.

DP World and the Motus Community Trust officially handed over a newly built school library to Katlehong Primary School at the school premises on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.

The milestone handover was attended by various stakeholders, including:

• Europcar
• Hyundai
• Renault
• YES4YOUTH Programs

This event marks two decades of impact. What began as a small empowerment project has become a national movement.

DP World Chairman, Hafiz Mahomed, reminded the audience about the power that local libraries hold:

“What began as part of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment in 2003 has grown into one of South Africa’s most enduring and sustainable literacy programs. Behind each of these 100 libraries stands a school, a community, a generation of learners, and a team of dedicated educators who believe that books, properly chosen and properly used in a conducive environment, can change a child’s trajectory.”

For the organizers, schools and libraries are the backbone of eradicating illiteracy and poverty in Black communities. The main objective was to create an environment where reading becomes a culture, not a chore.

Through the new library, learners will be encouraged to read widely, improve their vocabulary, expand their imagination, and build confidence and pride. The facility will also bridge the digital divide by teaching computer skills and coding.

Principal of Katlehong Primary School, Ben Sidwaba, welcomed the new school library with words of encouragement, calling it the realization of a long-held dream to eradicate illiteracy in the area:

“This is the realization of a dream we had to eradicate illiteracy and poverty in our area. With this library, we are hoping that through the programs they offer, our learners will be able to read at an appropriate speed with comprehension. It will also boost their confidence, increase their knowledge and imagination, and spark discoveries. Through this library, our learners will be able to access other information and engage in new projects.”

Mr. Sidwaba thanked the stakeholders for investing in the future of his learners.

Motus Community Trust CEO, Ockert Janse van Rensburg, emphasized the significance of the milestone, stating that when children can visualize and create through a book, they gain access to independent thought:

“Creating environments where learners feel everything is possible is key to improving their future potential.”

Mr. Van Rensburg further stated:

“Motus Community Trust is an organization deeply rooted in South Africa. Through such initiatives, we are investing in resources, people, and partnerships because we believe sustained access to literacy can help create opportunities that will impact the lives of individuals, families, communities, and ultimately our country.”

The head of Katlehong Primary School, Ben Sidwaba, called on the private sector to replicate the model, noting that collaboration between schools, the community, and businesses is the only way to achieve literacy goals.

MEC for Gauteng Education, Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, praised the DP World and Motus Community Trust initiative for its 100th library and its collaboration with local government:

“It’s an honor and a privilege to stand before you this morning on this occasion of the DP World and Motus Community Trust 100th library launch and official handover. This launch is taking place on one of the most important days in the history of South Africa and the calendar of the City of Ekurhuleni: the 109th anniversary of the birth of Oliver Reginald Tambo, one of the greatest revolutionaries who ever lived.”

MEC Maile further stated:

“On behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government, I wish to extend sincere gratitude to DP World and Motus Community Trust for the significant investment that you have made, not just here at Katlehong Primary School, but in the Katlehong community and the City of Ekurhuleni broadly. I wish to conclude with the poignant words of O.R. Tambo, who said, ‘The children of any nation are its future. A country, a movement, a person that doesn’t value its youth and children doesn’t deserve a future.'”

At the conclusion of the event, DP World and the Motus Community Trust officially opened the library alongside the Principal. It was more than a ribbon-cutting; it was a turning point, not only for the school, but for the entire community of Katlehong.