MEC challenges EFF to ‘meet her for street fight’ after hostage drama

Limpopo education MEC Polly Boshielo has practically challenged the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and other political parties in the province to meet on the street and fight instead of disrupting lessons and holding people hostage at the time of learning and teaching.

Boshielo and members of her staff were on Tuesday allegedly held hostage by angry parents and members of the EFF at the provincial basic education departmental head offices at Biccard Street in Polokwane.

This after parents complained they were made to queue for the better part of the day for the placement of their children, a week after the school opening. They accused Boshielo of failing to meet the deadline for placement of pupils in the province’s five regions.

In light of this, disenchanted EFF members, accompanied by parents, allegedly closed all the gates and doors of the offices and demanded placement of their children. Streets leading to the offices where also closed for the day, resulting in traffic chaos.

“I am not scared of you. If you want to fire me because of your ill behaviour, you can do so. If you are serious about your wayward modus operandi, let’s meet on the street and demonstrate our strengths,” Boshielo said.

“I will do anything for my children. Even if it means putting my life in danger or risking to be shown the door, I am prepared for anything,” she said.

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The MEC said all schools in Polokwane were already full. She said some of them had enrolled more than 1 400 pupils, while other enrolled even more. Boshielo said the sad thing was that most of these pupils are from
neighbouring townships and villages, leaving their own schools with little or no pupils.

“Ironically, we have four schools in Seshego which we are going to close now. These are schools facing closure because they have very few enrolments.

“We can’t keep building schools in Polokwane when there are plenty of schools left empty in Venda, Seshego, Sekhukhune or Mopani,” she said.

The MEC took swipe at members of the school governing bodies (SGB), who behave in a manner that disturbs learning and teaching in the province schools. Boshielo said it was important for school communities to
appoint correctly when selecting SGB committees.

She said her department wanted SGB members who were properly schooled, reasonable and “relished with ambition” to build a proper school community that would produce excellent results at the end of the year.

“We don’t need SGBs that are unqualified.”