Pupils fight back over transport concerns

HUNDREDS of pupils from Umtiza High School in Greenfields who walk more than 15km to school daily have boycotted classes after spending the past few weeks without governmentfunded scholar transport.

This is weeks after transport MEC Weziwe Tikana allocated R4.6-million to transport more than 70 000 pupils from around the province to schools.

Pupils from the school in Santa informal settlement have vowed to return to class only when the matter has been resolved. They travel long distances to and from the school and are forced to walk along bushy routes.

One affected pupil, Lwando Pilan, said: “It is very unfair that some children are transported while others have to walk long distances to school.”

Pilane, who stays in Leaches Bay, said he walked for more than an hour to school every day.

While pupils demonstrated in the streets of Santa, parents were locked in a meeting with the school’s management at the school.

Grade 12 pupil, Sinesipho Mabongo, said they were told that transport issues would be sorted out in March.

“We can’t wait that long. We walk to school for two hours every day.

“It is not only far but also dangerous. Other pupils have been attacked on their way to school and have had their cellphones, stationery and money taken from them,” she said.

Another pupil, Sindiswa Sibiya, who is in Grade 9, said pupils who had transport like her stood in solidarity with those who had to walk to school.

“Even though I have transport, I am protesting for those that don’t. Our friends get to school tired, and classes have not even started.

“Every other day we hear someone has had their belongings snatched by thieves – an injury to one is an injury to all,” said Sibiya.

School governing body (SGB) member Nomphelo Luti said the department provided transport for a certain number of pupils.

Luti said pupils had been given forms to complete which were then submitted to the department of transport.

She said some of the pupils did not get forms while others were unable to complete them because of missing documents.

Communications manager at the department of transport, Ntombizomzi Bala, said they were still going to investigate the matter.

“We do not have the details of the matter at this moment, but we will definitely investigate,” she said. —