Long walk to the classrooms
Village pupils have to cross river to reach school
Grade 10 pupil Promise Murwa trudges the cold water of Lepelle River on foot every day to get to school.
Murwa is one of many pupils from Nkotokoane village outside Lebowakgomo in Limpopo who make the trip across the river to get to schools in neighbouring Apel village.
After passing Grade 9 at GwaraGwara Combined School, which is the only high school in the village, pupils have to enrol at high schools such as Mphelamarumo and Madithane outside Nkotokoane.
“It is painful for us to cross the river on foot like this. During winter, the water is freezing cold and you can feel the pain in your bones,” Murwa said.
Their situation gets worse during the rainy season when the river overflows and it becomes too dangerous to swim across. Murwa said most parents have to pay rent for their children to stay in villages across the river during the rainy season.
Another Grade 10 pupil, Portia Phaladi, decried the lack of a bridge over the river.
“I am worried that we will get sick from this [crossing the] muddy river,” she said.
Villagers also struggle to cross the river to access a clinic and shopping complexes.
Martina Lekgau, 49, who was getting ready to cross the river with her groceries, said she paid R200 per month for her daughter to stay with another family in Apel village when the river overflows.
Community leader Vivienne Makgoale said pupils whose parents cannot afford to pay rent spend months without attending school. “It is better now during winter because the children can cross on foot. But it is
‘‘ In winter, the water is very cold and you can feel pain in your bones
very bad during summer.”
Makgoale said there was a gravel road which goes through Lebowakgomo, but that it was a very long detour.
Provincial education spokesman Naledzani Rasila said residents should contact the circuit office so that officials can assess if scholar transport could be arranged for pupils.
Rasila said a proper assessment of the area would also have to made before the department can decide on wether or not to build a high school for that village.
He said this would depend on whether there were enough pupils in that area.
Roads Agency Limpopo spokesman Maropeng Manyathela said they could only build a bridge in the area if it connects to a provincial road.