No action on school built in a swamp

SUPPOSED TO ACT IN 2013

The Gauteng education department has failed to act, five years after it was told by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to attend to the precarious situation at a school in Winterveld, north of Tshwane, that was built in a swamp.

This is contained in a scathing report prepared by the NCOP in collaboration with the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, following their visit to areas in Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metros as well as West Rand district municipality.

The group was led by NCOP chairperson for international relations Masefako Dikgale and Gauteng member of the Provincial Legislature Pinkie Mncube and visited Dr Sam Motsuenyane Comprehensive high school in Winterveld last week.

The school was built by the former Bophuthatswana homeland administration and was still suffering, since the last oversight visit in 2013.

Dikgale said the principal and management told them the school was located on swampy ground, and during rainy weather it experienced flooding and became inaccessible to both teachers and pupils.

They also complained about reeds that grew in the school, while snakes had been seen in the grass on several occasions, putting everyone’s lives in danger.

“Delegates were not happy that most of the commitments made in 2013 were not honoured and resolved to engage the MEC for education in Gauteng to intervene and find a solution,” Dikgale said.

They were also concerned about a large number of undocumented foreign pupils who struggled at school because of the language barrier.

Many of the pupils are children of immigrant parents from neighbouring countries. Their situation was worsened by their parents refusing to attend meetings with teachers because they claim these were a trap to catch and deport them.

The delegates also found that Philadelfia Secondary School, for pupils with disabilities, had a shortage of braille text books and sign language teachers, as well as assistants for pupils requiring special care.

“The NCOP delegates made a commitment to contact relevant government departments for intervention to ensure the smooth running of the school.”

The Gauteng education department spokesperson did not respond to an e-mail sent to him for comment at the time of going to print. –