Local jazz and gospel music sensation, Jonathan Rubain, is on a national school tour to help pupils recover from the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic and encourage them to complete their education.
The 37-year-old muso visited his former high school, Groenvlei High in Hanover Park, last week as part of his school tour.
He recently returned from the Eastern Cape and will visit Namibia this week, before resuming the tour at local Cape Town schools.
The dad of three tells the Daily Voice: “Groenvlei High will always be special to me.
“It is where I got my high school education and to see all the teachers still here giving their best to the learners is heart warming.
“I am currently on a national school tour where I decided to go to any school, whether primary or high, public or private, to motivate kids to stay in school and to study after they have matriculated.
“Teachers have found that kids are not as motivated.
“The lockdown really had a negative impact on the learners, with suicidal deaths amongst learners spiking.
“This is a great concern.
“When I do motivational talks, I tell kids that they don’t have a choice but to further their studies.
“There are too many examples around of kids who did not go and study who are standing on street corners, asking for R1 and R2, not to mention the amount of young people who are addicted to drugs.
“So I motivate them not to even try drugs. I also share my story with them of how I came from Hanover Park to having my own show on TV.”
Jonathan hosts his show Koortjies with Jonathan Rubain on kykNET en Kie.
The musician feels he has a duty to help the youth: “I took it upon myself because I can’t point fingers at others.
“I see the need, so I become part of the solution.”