Matrics moved to a safer venue to write exams after being stoned
Nearly 100 matric pupils writing their final examinations at a Stutterheim school were evacuated to write at a safer venue, following violent clashes in Mlungisi Township on Wednesday.
This was after they had been pelted with stones by angry Mlungisi Township rioters for being “traitors”.
The Dispatch watched a group of matrics from Stutterheim High, Jongile Nompondo High and Sinethemba High schools cover their heads as stones flew in their direction, while they tried to cross Cumakala bridge – a battleground between police and angry protesters – which links the township and the town.
The pupils waited for police to push the protesters back so they could quickly run across the bridge to get to their new venue to write their exams.
Two people were arrested during the mayhem.
East London public order police battled against about 800 angry youngsters from Stutterheim's Mlungisi Township for more than 12 hours during exchanges of rubber bullets, tear gas and stones on Wednesday.
Eastern Cape education department spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said the pupils’ matric exams then went on without major disruptions.
The matrics of Sinethemba High in Mlungisi were evacuated and housed at Siyakhula High in town, he said.
“All grade 12 pupils have written examinations at Siyakhula High. During a crisis, one has to act with speed as this has the potential to jeopardise the future of our pupils,” he said.
“All internal exams scheduled for today, such as Xhosa grade 11 and Accounting grade 10, were postponed due to the protests, which mostly affected the township schools.”
Thabile Zamela, 16, in grade 11 at Sinethemba High, said she was disappointed at the postponement.
The Sinethemba matrics were also upset over having to be moved to another venue to write their exams. They wrote history and Xhosa paper one.
Unecebo Madlavana, 17, from Sinethemba, said the 8km walk to the new venue was tiring.
“Also, psychologically, it disrupts us from writing peacefully, in a conducive environment,” Madlavana said.
Inathi Mangaliso, 18, said her peers, who would write economics on Thursday, had struggled to study with the blasts of stun grenades.
The new wave of violence comes less than a fortnight after the Amathole district municipal satellite office, a clinic and a mall in Stutterheim were torched over “stagnant” economic development.
Cathcart-born mayor Phatheka Qaba was accused of giving out tenders to entrepreneurs from Cathcart and her mayoral committee was accused of nepotism and corruption relating to hiring staff.
During the riot, hundreds of people were stuck on both sides of Cumakala River.
Among them was Lovedale student, Asavela Hewu, 33, who is an intern at the department of environmental affairs, and her six colleagues.
Hewu said the roadblock had prevented them from getting to the township’s Cenyu Community Hall for their civil engineering practical training.
“I am thinking of quitting this internship; we can't continue living like this. We could not work for two weeks the last time this happened,” she said.
The busy N6 later opened again for traffic.
There were no disruptions in Stutterheim; however most shops were closed.
All grade 12 pupils have written their examinations at Siyakhula High. During a crisis one has to act with speed