The pupils at the school, which was built a year ago, rehearsed a performance for the American couple.

“They had planned a warm welcome for the philanthropist, but due to the heavy rain, they couldn’t give one of the world’s richest men a South African welcome,” said Andile Lili of Ses’khona People’s Rights Movement.

The Gates foundation has pledged close to R77 500 to the school, which has more than 1 000 pupils.

The couple also visited a crèche in Site B informal settlement, which once struggled with flooding and sewage leaks that caused health hazards.

According to the foundation, it has invested in more than 100 organisations in South Africa for research and solutions to help address its greatest needs.

The mission statement of the foundation says, “Guided by the belief that every life has equal value” and its first grants in South Africa were made in 1999.

It has since been committed to addressing issues such as discovering and developing new medicine, diagnostics and vaccines for HIV and TB.

One of its main goals was to support the effective delivery of proven HIV prevention and treatment plans, as well as TB operations and implementation research.

The foundation aims to also collaborate with the SA government on shared goals for global health and development, as well as support limited research, and provide technical and programme support for other priorities including family health, agriculture, water sanitation and hygiene.

IOL