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| Lt- Col Tume Ramahlaha helped a Free State boy return to school with new uniform. Image: SUPPLIED |
Lt-Col Tume Ramahlaha, a police officer deployed to the Free State to combat illegal mining, has helped an 8-year-old boy who was scavenging for food in dustbins. Ramahlaha discovered the boy in Ladybrand, where he had been scavenging for food for days. He was surprised to see a small child like this during school hours, and urged the father of three to help.
Ramahlaha, based in Pretoria and attached to border policing, was deployed to the Free State as part of Operation Vala Umgodi to combat illicit mining activities. The boy returned to school on September 10 in a full school uniform and learned that he now wants to be a traffic officer when he grows up.
Ramahlaha and his colleagues organized a birthday party for the boy, which included buying him school uniform, new clothes, shoes, toys, and a haircut. They also connected the mother and son to relevant departments to monitor and assist where possible.
The boy returned to school on September 10 in full school uniform and learned that he now wants to be a traffic officer when he grows up. They approached the departments of education and social development to ensure that the boy receives all necessary assistance. They also asked home affairs to assist the boy get his birth certificate, which he was expected to receive in a week.
