Adult Basic Education and Training Centre’s future remains uncertain
This notice to vacate the property sparked protests which saw both staff and students from ABET marching through some of the streets in the township to voice their concerns against the closure of the school, which caters for hundreds of learners, mostly from the nearby disadvantaged communities.
Despite being issued with a letter to vacate their rented property, it was business as usual at the ABET site based in St Anthony’s Education Centre as schooling kicked off for the 2020 academic year on January 15.
The Reiger Park-based Adult Basic Education and Training Centre (ABET) was, in the beginning of December, issued with a notice to vacate St Anthony’s Education Centre before or end of 2019, as the lease agreement was due to expire in December 31.
The board also indicated that it was not intending to renew the lease.
A petition against the closure was also handed over to the centre’s board.
According to Lorraine Hartnieck, who is part of the task team negotiating with the St Anthony’s Education Centre board on behalf of ABET, the parties involved made a temporal arrangement to keep the school opened for those who want to register for the 2020 academic year, while negotiations are still underway.
She added that at least 300 learners registered on January 15.
The team negotiating on behalf of ABET insists the letter issued has nothing to do with the expiration of the lease, saying the issue emanates from rental problems between St Anthony’s Education Centre board members and the adult centre.
“The ABET management believes that it should only pay for the space the adult centre is occupying, instead of paying for the entire space while only using approximately a third of it,” said Jabulani Msimango, who is also a member of the task team negotiating on behalf of ABET.
He added that they have nowhere to go and should the closure go ahead, dozens of staff members will be left unemployed, while hundreds of learners will be left in limbo.
However, board member David Prinsloo refuted claims that the board and management of St Anthony’s Education Centre (SAEC) evicted the adult centre.
“Unless an eviction notice can be provided to prove this claim, SAEC maintains that no eviction notice was served. There was a lease agreement in place for the period to December 31 for a fixed period of 12 months,” said Prinsloo.
Prinsloo added that a compromise on the monthly rental rates for 2019 was agreed to with the adult centre in the form of a once-off payment. However, this rate was far below the agreed rates, and that resulted in a huge financial loss to the overall running costs of SAEC.
“Negotiations to conclude a new lease agreement for 2020 have broken down after several attempts by SAEC to secure meeting dates with the Gauteng CET College, who are the authority of the adult centre.
“In response, a letter was sent by the college principal to the Archbishop of the Catholic Church, petitioning his intervention on the matter.
“This was followed up by a protest march organised by the adult centre where a petition was accepted on behalf of the Archbishop of Johannesburg,” explained Prinsloo.
The board members pointed out that the new lease agreement for the year 2020 included operational times and agreed rates relating to the space occupied by the adult centre as well as the running costs which include water, electricity, sewerage, refuse removal, security, cleaning material and sanitary services of the centre.
“The principal of the Gauteng CET College responded with a counter offer, citing that they could only afford to pay a certain amount that is far below the agreed rate and that the operational hours in the new lease posed as a challenge to them.
“SAEC responded that it could not accept the offer made by the adult centre because it was far below the rates as agreed and that the adult centre would have no claim of renewal beyond the 2019 lease as clearly stated in point 4 of the 2019 lease agreement. A way forward on this matter will be determined by the Archbishop’s final response,” he added.
The Advertiser is still waiting for comment from the Gauteng Department of Education.
