Matric markers upset over conditions at school hostel

MATRIC markers at the Byletts Combined School marking centre are complaining about unsanitary conditions at the centre.

The 117 markers, mainly from Buffalo City Metro (BCM), have been staying at the school’s hostel without running water for close to a week.

Speaking in the scorching heat beating down on the rural hills inland of Haga Haga yesterday, they said they had not been able to shower, flush toilets or wash their hands.

Teachers said they were able to take a shower for the first time yesterday morning after six days with no water. They said Buffalo Metro Municipality (BCM) eventually came to the school with water tanks but it soon ran out.

The markers, who arrived last Wednesday, said they had to ask the cleaners at the centre to get them water from the school’s borehole.

“There has been no water from the taps and we have had to ask the cleaners each time we need to go to the toilet or bath. Even the water we got was not enough.”

One of the teachers said conditions were so bad at the hostels that she decided to find alternative accommodation in East London and commute 94km daily.

Teachers said the hostels were infested with cockroaches.

They also complained that although a menu had been submitted to the department, the food was not enough and they had been filling up on bread most of the time.

Although they were understanding of the fact that the centre was a school and they were using boarding facilities, they felt the department should have made better provision for markers.

“We have bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Juice always runs out and we are given little juices for children,” said a teacher.

Another marker said they had experienced the same horrible conditions two years ago and back then the department had promised to address the problems.

When the Dispatch visited the school yesterday, marking centre manager Nancy Ndamase chased journalists away saying media was “not allowed” at the centres.

Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Sibusiso Cindi acknowledged that the municipality had sent water trucks to the school, but could not elaborate further or reply to questions sent by the time of going to print.

Education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said they were in talks with the municipality and were working on resolving the issue.

Mtima said: “We are currently in talks with the municipality to ensure the school is provided with water.

“We will further talk to the centre manager to have direct contact with the municipality so that these incidents do not happen again,” said Mtima. —