The Hamlet School seeks help for urgent wall repairs
With worsening damage to the school’s infrastructure, the school community is rallying for donations to restore the building’s safety.
The Hamlet School in Turffontein urgently seeks the community’s support to repair its wall, which is at risk of collapsing.
The school, which serves children with various learning disabilities, has concerns over the deteriorating condition of its facilities.
While the allocated funding for the school is solely for the learners’ education and care, infrastructure repairs have become an unexpected financial burden.
The current state of the wall and the risks involved
The wall, which surrounds the school premises, especially along Von Brandis Street, is severely damaged and risking the safety of the learners and staff.
The school building was built between 1909 and 1910. The wall collapsing is close to happening if not repaired soon, which causes concern within the school community.
A recent pavement renovation project by the council worsens the damage. While pavement repairs aimed to improve accessibility around the school, it has caused further harm to the already weakened wall.
Ronel du Preez from The Hamlet School shared: “To make matters worse, after communication with the council, they informed us the school was responsible for damage to the wall.
“With the already limited budget allocated to providing the best education and care for the learners, this financial burden has left us struggling to find the resources for repairs.
“The safety of our children is our top priority,” explained Du Preez.
“We desperately need assistance. A collapsed wall would leave the school vulnerable to security threats and compromise the safety of the learners, many of whom rely on the school’s educational environment to thrive. The school is in an area of Turffontein known for its high crime. This makes it more crucial to ensure the safety of the premises.”
Appeals for help
Recently, the Sharing Kindness Foundation visited the school and pledged its support to gather sponsors to fund the repairs.
The foundation’s team reaches out to many locals for donations and sponsorships. Their involvement has given the school hope that, with support, the wall can be repaired before any further damage takes place.
“We understand times are tough, but any support, whether financial or through volunteer work, will make a world of difference,” expressed Du Preez.
“We hope the community will unite to ensure our learners can continue learning in a safe space.”
The school urges anyone who can assist to contact Du Preez on 082 450 7892 or email rdupreez4444@gmail.com or sharingkindnessfoundation@gmail.com
