SOS for Ekuphumuleni Primary tebetebe
NHLANGANO – Parents and teachers of Ekuphumuleni Primary School at Manyeveni area in the Shiselweni Region have pleaded with government to replace their footbridge (tebetebe), which is falling apart.
They want it to be replaced with a concrete one.
The bridge is used to cross the Mkhondvo River, which is one of the biggest rivers in the country.
The parents decried that the footbridge was no longer safe for their children when crossing to and from school, more especially when the river was flooded, as was the case these days. One of the parents interviewed yesterday said the footbridge was constructed a long time ago, such that it was now shaking.
Flooded
The parent said when the river was flooded, even them as adults, were scared. Indeed, this reporter became witness to the fact that the footbridge shakes when one walks on it, putting the children, and everyone who uses it in danger.
The parent also noted that whenever there was something that needed to be transported to the school, parents would be called to ferry those items from the other side of the river to the school using the shaking footbridge as vehicles were not able to cross.
The parent made an example that currently Micro-Projects was constructing classrooms for the school and the building material had to be carried by the parents who had to cross using the footbridge to the school on foot. She added that the situation was terrible such that teachers would often park their cars on the other side of the river and cross to the school on foot every day.
Another parent also emphasised that they were in dire need of a concrete bridge. Tynah Mkhaliphi, who is one of the teachers at Ekuphumuleni Primary School, also lamented about the situation they faced every day when going to and coming from school.
Mkhaliphi said teachers, pupils, parents and the community at large, were in danger as they used that footbridge.
She noted that there was one alternative bridge that may be used to cross the river but it was far away such that it would take over three hours to reach the school from the main Yith’abantu Highway. She said as teachers, they were having a hard time when coming to school as they had to leave their cars under trees on the other side of the river and cross to the school on foot.
Challenge
Mavis Nkambule, who spoke on behalf of the school’s head teacher, also lamented the challenge they faced as teachers.
Nkambule said pupils more especially the young ones, often liked to play over the footbridge, which was dangerous hence as teachers they were always worried.She noted that as teachers they often failed to concentrate when executing their duties as they would now and again worry about their cars they left on the other side of the river.
Nkambule also noted that sometime back, a life was lost in the river.
Manzini Regional Education Officer (REO) Sizwe Kunene said they were aware that teachers parked their cars on the other side of the river and walked to the school. He said unfortunately, the head teacher of the school had not yet reported to the office as to what they (teachers) would like the ministry to assist them with.
Kunene said the ministry would have assisted in facilitating negotiations between the school and other relevant stakeholders so to find a lasting solution to the matter.