Water problems delay Tongaat school openings

Two Tongaat schools, Sarasvati and Tongaat Primary School, did not open on Monday due to water problems.

Sarasvati Primary in Frasers has apparently been having water issues for months, so it was not deemed safe to open the school.

“We have about 45 grade 7 pupils and with water only available before 7.30am and after 3pm it was not possible for the school to be opened,” said a source at the school.

He said the education department had also sent the required PPEs and food for the children.

While there were enough classrooms for grade 7 pupils, they do not know at this stage how the school would accommodate more pupils when they all returned to school.

Ward 62 councillor Zanele Khumalo said that while she was aware that Frasers had a water shortage, she had not known that the school had not been able to open.

“I will call the principal and arrange a water tanker for the school. I was really not notified about that issue,” said Khumalo.

At Tongaat Primary, a water pipe burst and copper piping was stolen during lockdown.

The Billy Nair Circuit school governing body’s forum chairperson Ashwin Singh said the SGB had been hoping that it would be fixed by Monday but this was not the case.

“The school governing body had to take a decision to keep the school closed until the water issue is sorted,” said Singh.

Sizani Combined Primary School’s re-opening was also delayed by a day as the school’s toilets were not working.

According to school management, nearby roadworks had caused the water to be switched off.

The children were turned away despite being well prepared for the re-opening.

The grade 7s were allowed to report to school on Tuesday, once the plumbing had been fixed.

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