School to reopen after feud resolved

Many want to leave the area fearing violence could flare up again

Pupils at a Lusikisiki school will have to play catch-up when they return from the March holidays after a fight between two neighbouring villages kept them out of school for three weeks.

A chief in the area, Sonwabile Jama, said the dispute that began in April 2017 had finally been resolved by the community.

Mkhankomo Full Service school has been caught in the middle of a territorial dispute between factions from Zitha and Sicembeni villages.

The school has a complement of 961 pupils from Grade R to 12, and services both the villages.

Police confirmed six houses had been torched, causing scores of villagers to retreat to nearby bushes, setting up camp there. Others were in fact contemplating leaving the area for good.

Jama said the dispute flared up when one of the families from Sicembeni village built a house on a strip of municipal land close to Zitha.

The Zitha villagers were allegedly not happy with the construction of the house in April 2017. Complaints followed and the family was asked to relocate the house, but allegedly refused.

“This [matter] was never referred to the traditional council to be resolved,” said Jama.

According to Jama, it is normal in rural areas for villages to be divided by a patch of land or grazing land or fields.

“In January things became worse and people’s houses were burnt down, and we had to call police to intervene.

“People who were scared fled their homes, mostly women and children,” said Jama.

“We are calling for peace; we can’t be fighting each other.”

Mkhankomo principal Zuko Lurwengu said the fighting had left teachers and pupils traumatised.

“A total of 961 pupils have not been attending school for the past three weeks. We said they should stay at home for their own safety, and teachers have also done the same.”

“The plan is that we are not going to close during this first term to catch up. This has affected the pupils badly,” he said. He said what had worried him the most was that some of the houses torched in the skirmishes belonged to parents of pupils.

“This has left them in a state of shock, and we didn’t want to see children fighting each other as well because of this. Many would tease others and provoke unnecessary fights.”

Police spokesperson for the area, Captain Nozuko Handile said: “Police have been deployed there to keep peace. We are investigating with the hope of finding peace.”

Mandlakazi Mjoli, who is based in Cape Town, said his parents lived in one of the villages and he had to remove them immediately.

“I was scared when they told me they were hiding in the bush at night,” said Mjoli.

“I am planning to relocate my elderly parents out of this area for good. You don’t know when it is going to start afresh again,” he said.

“I am happy that the police have arrived to keep the peace. My only worry is that those who are doing matric would be affected by this.”

Eastern Cape education spokesperson Mali Mtima said they were aware of the fighting. “The department is working with other departments to make sure the school and safety of the learners is key. There will be catch-up plan for matrics as well,” he said.

At a Tuesday meeting with officials from the police, the education department and the community leadership, a solution was reached that the school be re-opened.

Jama said they were hoping for a lasting peace.

“We are planning to engage with the teachers to return to school as early as Wednesday, and we are calling for peace.” –

The plan is that we are not going to close during first term to catch up Zuko Lurwengu

Principal of Mkhankomo Full Service School