There are no approved building plans for Kembirch Secondary School, which is operating 10 classes of Grade Eight learners.
On April 17, when the Kempton Express visited the school with ward councillor Amanda Davison, entry to the premises was denied by the security sighting that it was an instruction from the principal.
From the outside of the property, several upgrades to the school could be seen including paving and an additional mobile kitchen or tuck-shop.
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The Kempton Express noted that toilet facilities still had not been connected to the sewage system and teachers and learners were still using mobile facilities.
Davison said that on April 11 she received an email from the City of Ekurhuleni following her inquiry about the school’s stalling development, building plans and land use zoning of the property.
“From the land use management point of view, the property in question Erf 1174 (main site) has been zoned correctly to operate as a school except if the activity has been expanded or is taking place also on the surrounding properties zoned as Residential 1.
“Land use applications will only be applicable if GPEDU intends to make use of the surrounding Residential 1 properties that are enclosing Erf 1174 as part of the development of a school,” she said.
Davison added that the GDE may decide to exclude Residential 1 properties from the development.
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“The re-zoning of these properties would take a significant time to achieve. If the zoned Residential 1 properties are excluded, the school development will only require the submission of the SDP from the Town Planning office,” she said.
“The provided response did not give any information related to the status of the infrastructure services on site.”
She confirmed that any activity on-site requires the approval of building plans and possibly even the CoE’s building control division.
Davison said the CoE’s senior building inspector confirmed that building plans for the school were submitted on March 6.
“The plans were evaluated on March 22 and are not approvable yet because there are comments that need to be addressed.”
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She said that some of the comments made included the use of non-standardised construction methods.
“There is a compliance certificate from the CSIR that needs to be submitted as well as the submission of plans for temporary ablutions and approved SDP,” she said.
When schools opened for 2024 on January 17, learners placed at Kembirch Secondary School were told they would have to wait until January 22 to begin their high school careers because their classes were not ready.
Residents have previously said they were not informed that the school would be established and they questioned whether the school would be a temporary or permanent fixture in the community.
The Gauteng Department of Education Ekurhuleni North District director Nonceba Ntuta was present at the school’s first day of learning on January 22 to oversee first-day proceedings.
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Spokesperson for the GDE Steve Mabona said that the department is in the final stage of fulfilling its promises to parents and learners.
The Kempton Express sent a further inquiry for comment to the GDE on April 22, requesting comment by April 26.
By the time of going to print, no comment was received.
