LIMPOPO – Kutama parents were overjoyed as their children returned to school following a three-day stay-at-home order, after residents of the Kutama area staged a protest, barricading the D3715 and R522 from Sinthumule, Louis Trichardt to Vivo last Monday to Thursday.

Protestors expressed their frustration with the senior traditional leader, Thovhele Vele Kutama, calling for his resignation.

The chairperson of the Soutpansberg Community Development Forum (ZCDF), Patrick Sikhutshi, whose organisation has been vocal against the disruption of education, spearheaded a back-to-school campaign.

“Our prayers have been answered. We cannot allow our children to lose more academic time. They have already missed a significant portion of their schooling, and we are hopeful they will recover the lost time. Our children have been idle due to the unfortunate situation in our area, and it’s time for them to get back to learning.”

Kutama expressed his concern over the protest’s impact on education and emphasised the traditional council’s support for learners.

“We prayed for the learners before they returned to school. We are here to give them hope and remind them that with dedication and faith, they can overcome any obstacles. The sky is not the limit; they can soar higher,” he stated.

A Gr 12 learner from Kutama High, who wished to remain anonymous, voiced a need for catch-up programmes.

“We have lost precious learning time. We urge the department and stakeholders to provide us with supplementary learning programmes to make up for the lost days.”

The Kutama community is now focused on ensuring their children can continue their education without further disruptions.