FOUL CRY Mmopane Block 1 residents reject name of new school

Leadership imposes undesired name for China-donated school

Residents of Mmopane Block 1 in Mmopane- Lent sweletau Constituency have petitioned Kweneng District Commissioner over the naming of a primary school in their area.

The school which was donated by the Chinese government was built in Gaphatshwa Ward. The residents argue that they were not consulted in the process as was initially agreed. They say the decision was taken by leadership of Mmopane especially Magosi and Ward Development Committee (WDC).

“As concerned residents of Mmopane Block 1, we hereby lodge a formal petition with your office over the above. There has not been a proper consultation in naming the primary school in Mmopane Block 1, which subsequently was named Mmopane Primary School.

“The name does not even serve the interests of our community members as evidenced by this petition. We are shocked that there has been a select few including the Mmopane Block 1 VDC leadership who submitted a name at Mmopane purporting that it’s the name agreed by all residents.

“This was an absolute fallacy as there has never been a general meeting in Mmopane Block 1 to propose a name for the school,” reads the petition handed yesterday (Tuesday).

After discovering the development, the residents proposed for a mid-week meeting at the Mmopane Block 1 main kgotla and instead of proper discussions a name was imposed that no one agreed to except for the leadership being the councillor and Dikgosi.

According to the residents they had proposed three names being Mmopane Block 1 Primary School, Gaphatshwa Primary School and Mantsie Primary School.

“We find this kind of arrangement full of bias, lacking basic democratic principles and inadequate consultation. We therefore are not happy with this as the name imposed (Mmopane Primary School) does not serve the interests and aspirations of the majority population in Mmopane Block 1.

“Due to the above, we hereby hand in our petition and request that the name proposed and handed to your office be recalled based on the above. Our residents are entirely dissatisfied with the name,” reads the petition.