The Gauteng Education Department (GDE) vows to conduct a follow-up inspection to investigate the informal school operating illegally in Moreleta Park, east of Pretoria.

GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona assured the community, that the GDE would follow up on the evidence gathered at the school continuing its illegal activities and that it would be shut down accordingly.

“The department will look to close the school, and the owner of the school can be arrested.”

Earlier in October last year residents in Moreleta Park had raised concerns about a bogus school operating at the illegally occupied 17-hectare property dubbed the “White House”.

The school on the corner of Wekker and Brabham streets was found to be unregistered and not properly zoned. This in turn sparked outrage and calls for immediate action.

Teaching and learning are said to be taking place outside a dilapidated building in an area without any occupational health and safety compliance.

The GED first inspected the school in October and said it was illegal and not registered.

According to the department, the school does not comply with any registration requirement and has no documents, such as a zoning certificate, health certificate and others.

The school is operating illegally with owners of the property currently seeking legal recourse to take back their land.

Last year in October, Mabona said the department can confirm that the said school is illegal and a closure letter was issued.

“A follow-up visit will be conducted in collaboration with law enforcement agencies to enforce compliance to ensure that the school in question is closed down.”

He added that the department had visited the school before and issued a letter of closure.

“Accordingly, we will ensure that all learners of school-going age are placed in public and registered independent schools in the area,” Mabona said.

Mabona said for a school to be legal it entails making an application a year preceding operation and complying with all registration requirements and documents, such as zoning certificates, health certificates and others.

“After thorough assessments, the department issues a school with an Education Management Information System (EMIS) certificate that entails the name of the school, address and an EMIS number.”

He added that if a school does not have an EMIS certificate that corresponds with the address where a school is situated, then, parents must know that it is an illegal school.

Mabona said GDE is working tirelessly to tighten the administration of the admissions process to accommodate all learners in Gauteng.

Deirdré van Helsdingen representing the “White House” property owners said despite the GDE instructing the school to close down, the school continues to operate.

Van Helsdingen said the owner of the school becomes very aggressive when told about the safety issues at the site.

“It is extremely dangerous to bring children to the property where excavators are working and there is no proper infrastructure,” she said.

She added that the GDE should intensify their inspections and arrest the owner.

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