It appears the ongoing battle between the Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Centre and the custodian of St Anthony’s Education Centre is still far from over.
The parties involved had over a year been in disagreement over a long-running dispute about monthly rental. In the latest episode, St Anthony’s Education Centre has reportedly approached the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Community Education and Training Colleges (CET Colleges) to ask for its interventions to resolve the dispute.
In the letter seen by the Advertiser, St Anthony’s Education Centre clearly indicated that no further lease agreement will be entered into to accommodate the ABET centre when the current one expires on November 30 this year, saying ABET is expected to vacate the facility regardless of whether or not alternative accommodation has been secured for its learners.
Protest looms
In reaction to this, the team representing the learners and ABET staff said it will not give up on what many community members believe is the right thing to do, protecting the future of the hundreds of residents against what they call profit-driven individuals who only care about making money instead of uplifting the community.
Lorraine Hartnieck, who is part of the task team negotiating with the St Anthony’s Education Centre board on behalf of ABET, told the Advertiser they have organised a silent protest to be held outside the offices of the archbishop of the Catholic Church in Johannesburg on June 21. A letter will be delivered petitioning his intervention on the matter.
Negotiations underway
“We expected St Anthony’s Education Centre board to at least focus on the positive social impact the ABET Centre has on our communities and allow the school to remain open while negotiations are still underway,” said Hartnieck.
She revealed that the tenancy problem started when the department pointed out that the rent was too high and that the school was only using a third of the space it was made to pay for. ABET management negotiated that it should only pay for the space the adult centre is occupying.
Original rental
The Department of Higher Education used to pay about R214 000 per month for the entire facility until 2017.
“When we started the renegotiation, we offered to pay for the space ABET is occupying, while negotiations for a new lease are still ongoing.
“We have been hoping that with the start of the discussions with St Anthony’s Education Centre board, the rentals would be reduced to a reasonable amount, but they have instead decided to give us notice to vacate the facility.
“ABET is not in breach of its tenancy agreement. We’ve been negotiating for a new tenancy agreement with rent amount that will be proportional to the space ABET needs.
Notice sparks protest
This is not the first notice issued to ABET to vacate the facility. Another notice was issued late last year, saying the school should vacate the property by December 30, 2019.
That notice sparked protests which saw both staff and learners from ABET marching through some of the streets in the township to voice their concerns against the closure of their school.
New offer
Apparently, St Anthony’s Education Centre offered ABET a new tenancy agreement to remain at the centre until November 30, this year. It’s, however, unclear if this offer was accepted by ABET.
Based on the letter recently sent to the department, the conditions of the 2020 lease offered reads: ABET pays R120 000 rent per month; operating times are 3pm-8pm; ABET pays for the space occupied and other services to be used by ABET; lease dates is: January 1 – November 30. The author of the letter states no response had been received from the other parties regarding the offer so far.
St Anthony’s Education Centre
In our previous report, St Anthony’s board member David Prinsloo refuted claims that the board and management of St Anthony’s Education Centre evicted the centre, saying those who made such claims should provide an eviction letter to prove it.
The board members pointed out that the new lease agreement for 2020 included operational times and agreed rates relating to the space occupied by the centre as well as the running costs, which include water, electricity, sewage, refuse removal, security, cleaning material and sanitary services.
“The principal of the Gauteng CET Colleges responded with a counter offer, citing 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 a challenge to them,” said Prinsloo.
The Advertiser is still waiting comment from the Gauteng Department of Education.
Read more about St Anthony’s Education Centre’s stance on the issue: “Adult Basic Education and Training Centre’s future remains uncertain“.
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