News

Parents frustrated by lack of space in schools

Rumours on Thursday morning that cars were being stoned in SADC Street, in front of the Department of Education building, are not true.

January 10, 2019

Jana Boshoff 2 minutes read

Zibusiso Mzulwini (5), Dinto (5), Mpiwe Nkosi (5), Esihle Ntshuntshe (7) and Nkosimokuhle Mathlabane (6) are all supposed to be in school right now. Instead, they are at the Department of Education with their parents protesting in the background, due to a lack of space in schools.

After receiving reports of protesting and cars being stoned at the Department of Education, opposite the Clicks building, www.mobserver.co.za went to investigate.
What we came across was a group of frustrated parents trying to find space for their children to attend school.

Parents told www.mobserver.co.za that they reside in areas such as Aerorand and Extension 18 in Middelburg, Nasaret and Rockdale. After failing to secure a place at a Middelburg based school, parents have now been told that their children will be placed at schools in Mhluzi.

“My child was taught in Afrikaans and English until Grade 7, now they want her to go to a school where they teach in Zulu. How will she manage to pass?” one parent asked. Her child was supposed to start Grade 8 this year but is currently sitting at home because she was not accepted by any of the local high schools.

Ditholo Mzulwini and her daughter Zibusiso (5) who is supposed to be in Grade R.

Parents also say that the extra cost they will have to pay for transport, to get their children to Mhluzi and back, is concerning.

“I will eat pap and cabbage to be able to have money to give my child a proper education, but this is too much,” one mother said.

“Why are there no white parents struggling to find space? Why are we protesting alone?” a concerned father asked.

The protest has thus far been peaceful. The police’s Public Order Policing Unit is at the scene and SADC Street is safe for motorists to travel on at the moment.

• Aerorand Primary School was supposed to be completed in 2016. There is still only a container on site serving as a temporary office. The R44 million allocated for the school is rumoured to have been reallocated to fund expenses at other schools in the province.