St Francis College School Opens Cutting-edge IT Centre

Top: The school Principal, Mr Khwela, Bishop of the Mariannhill Diocese, Neil Frank, and the Businessman and Philanthropist, Mr Sandile Zungu, flanked by the Zungu family. Bottom: The school Principal, Mr Khwela, the Bishop of the Mariannhill Diocese, Neil Frank OMI, and the Businessman and Philanthropist, Mr Sandile Zungu, at the launch of the Zodwa Zungu IT Centre.

By Dr Mauricio Langa – A Catholic school in Mariannhill, north of Durban, has opened a cutting-edge Information Technology Centre.

Mariannhill Secondary Independent School, also known as St Francis College, recently launched the IT centre, financed by philanthropist and businessman Sandile Zungu. The centre, whose construction was completed by the Zodwa Zungu Foundation, has ample space to accommodate many students.

With funding from the Ikusasa le Africa Foundation, the school began constructing the centre in 2020, but the project came to a standstill during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Subsequently, the project was taken over by the Zodwa Zungu Foundation, which contributed R3,5 million to its completion and the acquisition of IT equipment. The foundation is named after Mr Zungu’s late wife, Zodwa, who attended St Francis as a student.

Mr Zungu and his family joined Bishop Neil Frank of Mariannhill, clergy, board members, senior management, guests, parents, teachers, and students for the handover ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Zungu noted that his late wife believed in uplifting young people, which is why the Zodwa Zungu Foundation chose to support the institution.

“Zodwa believed, with quiet conviction, that education was the most powerful tool one could give to a child. She understood that knowledge does more than inform, it liberates. It opens doors that poverty tries to keep closed. It restores dignity where circumstances have tried to erode it. So as we hand over this centre to St Francis College, we do so with a simple but powerful hope: that it will become a place of transformation,” Mr Zungu said.

He described the centre as a living expression of Zodwa’s philosophy of a healthy community that is better able to learn, to work, and to thrive.

A Living Expression

“In today’s world, digital access is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. The ability to use technology, to access information, to develop digital skills, is what separates those who participate in the economy from those who are left behind,” he said.

For far too long, many schools, particularly those serving the working class, have been excluded from this digital revolution, he added. Within these very schools, he argued, sit some of the brightest minds, the most determined young people, and the greatest untapped potential in our country.

“This is even more so for St Francis College, which has produced some of South Africa’s brightest minds. This centre seeks to take that legacy forward.”

Mr Zungu explained that the Zodwa Zungu Foundation was established to ensure that his late wife’s legacy moved through classrooms, communities, and lives transformed.

“From the beginning, we defined three pillars that would guide our work. These are education, economic sustainability, and healthcare. We did not choose these pillars because they are convenient. We chose them because they reflect the reality of life.”

Bishop Neil Frank of Mariannhill Diocese

Bishop Frank noted that the school’s board had struck the plan for the IT centre off the agenda, “as we did not know how to complete the building”. The partnership with the Zodwa Zungu Foundation came unexpectedly, and the IT centre became “a reality in less than 12 months — that is unheard of”.

“We are very grateful to Mr Zungu and the Zodwa Zungu Foundation for showing us that it is not just talk, but that there are people out there who walk the talk,” the bishop said.

“The Zodwa Zungu IT Centre is going to prove to be a centre of excellence for the development of the dreams of many learners in the area, and indeed throughout the country, for parents who see St Francis College as a place to send their children,” Bishop Frank added.

He also acknowledged the invaluable contribution of those who carried the school’s legacy over the last 117 years, particularly the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill and the Congregation of the Precious Blood.

School principal Ndabazami Khwela said the IT centre represents a gateway to opportunities, a hub for innovation, and a testament to the school’s commitment to the provision of quality education.

“This is your space — use it,” he said, addressing the school’s community. “Explore it and let your creativity shine. Let’s celebrate this milestone and the exciting journey ahead.”