Progress and pain in Ward 96 as school vandalism leaves 2 000 learners at home
Ward 96 has made strides in road resurfacing and public lighting, according to councillor Rufas Maswazi, but repeated vandalism has forced the closure of a school, leaving learners stuck at home.
Ward 96 burst into the new year with bright lights and big promises.
New streetlights flickered on across key areas, signalling hope, safety, and progress for communities that have long called for better services, but as the glow spreads across Chartwell, Broadacres, and the Malibongwe corridor, a far darker reality has settled over Lion Park, where a local school has been reduced to a disaster zone by relentless vandalism, leaving more than 2 000 learners stranded at home.
Read more: Progress and pain in Ward 96 as school vandalism leaves 2 000 learners at home
Ward 96 councillor Rufus Maswazi points to several service delivery wins that marked steady progress in the ward in the year 2025. He said key roads, including sections of Broadacres, Lombardy, and Pine roads, were resurfaced, improving mobility and safety.
A total of 129 streetlights are currently being installed in Chartwell to combat crime and improve night-time visibility, while a major project to roll out 300 solar-powered streetlights along the Malibongwe Road corridor, stretching up to Lanseria International Airport, is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
However, the councillor admits that 2025 was also defined by persistent challenges. Service delivery backlogs, slow responses from city entities and unresolved infrastructure issues have continued to erode residents’ trust.
Potholes, unattended sewage blockages and leaking pipes in areas such as Cosmo Creek, Riverside, Thabo Mbeki, and Adelaide Tambo remain unresolved, while electricity outages in Broadacres and Chartwell, particularly during storms, continue to disrupt daily life.
These challenges are now painfully evident at Lion Park Primary School, which has been declared a disaster site following repeated acts of vandalism. Maswazi said more than 2 000 learners have been instructed to stay at home, just as schools across the country reopened for the new academic year.
Maswazi confirmed that the vandalism began during the December school holidays. “Unfortunately, once the buildings were left exposed, people took advantage of that and came back to take things.”
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For the affected learners, most of whom come from nearby informal settlements, the closure has been devastating. “It is heartbreaking. While other communities are struggling to find space in overcrowded classrooms, our learners are locked out completely.”
The impact goes beyond education. Many learners rely on the school for daily nutrition. “Their parents leave early every morning to look for work [in the suburbs]. The school feeding schemes are a lifeline for them, and now that system has collapsed.”
Security remains a major challenge. According to Maswazi, public schools are expected to rely on school governing bodies (SGBs) and parents to appoint and fund security guards, a near-impossible task in vulnerable communities.
Despite this, he said the department of education has been actively involved since the incident and is engaging with stakeholders to find urgent solutions.
The department of education was approached for comment. Their reply will be printed once received.
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