Schools always a problem

So the answer is to delay schools reopening by seven days? How on earth is this going to help?

About 55% of all the schools are not ready, they were not ready on January 10, not ready in 2019 and, in fact, have never been ready at any time during the last 26 years of ANC rule.

The unions are demanding that schools remain closed until all are ready.

They correctly point out that should the “good” schools open it would re-emphasise the huge difference between them and the poor township and rural schools.

Wow, what a revelation — is this something that they have only recently discovered?

Apparently the ruling party has also only recently discovered this huge disparity.

Rural schools have never had a decent water supply.

The minister concerned, Lindwe Susulu, displayed shock when presented with the condition of a rural school, claiming not to have been aware of the situation.

A media personality present asked her, on live TV, why she was not aware of the situation and she replied: “You are the media, you are supposed to be investigative journalists, why have you not reported issues like this to the government?”

Enough said!

The department of water affairs is now attempting to deliver large tanks to these schools, and then to have a fleet of water tankers fill them.

This is going to be at an enormous cost, and will continue to be so as the water supply is replenished.

This is nothing less than window dressing.

Why have all these schools not been supplied with a borehole, a windmill and a small header tank to provide a permanent supply?

Over the years this would have been at a fraction of the cost of now supplying large tanks on stands, and erecting header tanks and keeping them full.

All that was needed was sensible thought, proper planning, and actually doing the work.

During the last 26 years, the ruling party elite have concentrated on wealth for themselves — attending to all the needs of the poor was never on their agenda.

The coronavirus has been devastating; however, the one part of it which will possibly benefit the country is the undeniable fact that the government’s education and health efforts have been shown to be nothing less than crude and pathetic.

Someone has to pay for this chronic situation.

Will it be the ANC?

I doubt it.