WATCH: La Rochelle Primary School shut down over four-year toilet crisis
Parents and SGB members have vowed to halt learning until the Department of Education provides working toilets for learners and teachers.
La Rochelle Primary School was closed on October 14 as fed-up parents and School Governing Body (SGB) members took a stand over a sanitation crisis that they say has left learners and teachers without working toilets for four years.
Last year, the Department of Education delivered 11 portable toilets to the school. However, today angry parents removed the toilets and used them to blockade all streets leading to the school as they demanded a lasting solution to the problem.
SGB member Mnakisi Magadla said parents and school representatives were tired of what he described as empty promises from the department.
“Former MEC Matome Chiloane is aware of this problem. No one listens. We have been communicating with Zanele May from the department, and apparently the stumbling block is the CFO, who hasn’t signed the job card for these toilets,” said Magadla.
He said the community would not allow learning to continue until the sanitation problem was resolved.
“We are saying there will be no learning until they fix this problem. There’s no dignity for all the people who are at this school, as they are subjected to this non-service delivery,” he said.
Parents and SGB members are demanding that the department urgently address the situation and ensure that learners and teachers have access to functioning sanitation facilities.
ALSO READ: Parents take stand over broken toilets at La Rochelle Primary School
At the scene, parents remained firm in their position, with no signs of hostility reported outside the school. A single police van was also present as the protest continued.
The school closure highlights the community’s frustration over the prolonged lack of basic sanitation facilities and the impact on the dignity and well-being of learners and teachers.
Parents are maintaining that teaching and learning will not resume until the department takes action to resolve the crisis.
This is a developing story. The Department of Education will publish a comment as soon as it is available.
ALSO READ: La Rochelle Primary learners forced to use chemical toilets as sanitation crisis worsens
