VEREENIGING – DA Gauteng spokesperson for Infrastructure Development, MPL Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, has raised concerns over the delay of the handover of the Bantu Bonke Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) in rural Three Rivers.

In a press statement, Rasilingwane said over 100 children were suffering due to the Department of Social Development (DSD) failing to take responsibility for the transfer and ownership of the state-of-the-art facility.

The DA said it demands that Premier Panyaza Lesufi urgently intervenes in the matter to ensure that children are not disadvantaged.

In response to DA questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), the MEC for Social Development, Faith Mazibuko, said the department transferred the ECD function and all its related matters to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE).

GDE MEC Matome Chiloane said the centre was not part of the facilities transferred to the GDE during the ECD shift.

Chiloane said the agreement with Social Development was that once the building is completed and all the requirements for occupation are in place, it will be transferred to GDE.

Rasilingwane highlights that Lesufi, during the SOPA, said one of the key changes is to embrace ECD as part of the basic education system.

He states that children needing early childhood development services in the area continue to face a growing sense of uncertainty and frustration as they struggle to access resources.
“The longer completed projects remain unoccupied, the more vulnerable they become to vandalism, theft and illegal occupation.”

In February, the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development announced that it would soon hand over the newly built Bantu Bonke Early Childhood Development Centre to the client department in due course.

Rasilingwane said they would seek clarity from the Premier on which department is responsible for the facility.