By Doreen Mokgolo
More than 1,000 children at Kabelo Primary School in Katlehong are studying in dangerous conditions while school leaders fight about fixing the building.
All 1,043 kids, even the youngest ones in Grade R, must share just a few working toilets. Most taps don’t work, leaving only two for everyone to use.
The lights don’t work properly and the toilet waste tank is full, making most toilets unusable.
School board chairman Patrick Msane told Scrolla.Africa they tried to fix things after taking over in April.
“We paid R25,000 to cut dangerous trees hanging over the roof. We then found people to fix the lights for R92,000 and the toilets for just over R100,000.
“But the acting principal stopped the work, saying they weren’t allowed to do big repairs. We were surprised because these were important fixes and we had R200,000 to pay for them,” he said.
On Monday, school board members stopped classes in protest.
In June, Ekurhuleni town officials said the school was too dangerous for people to be inside because it breaks health and safety rules.
But education spokesman Steve Mabona blamed the school board.
“The school must fix these problems with money we give them. The school board took away the acting principal’s power to sign for money at the bank and gave it to their chairman and treasurer.
“Now they can’t pay for repairs because of this. They also won’t sign for learning materials and stopped us from hiring a new teacher,” he said.
Pictured above: Kabelo Primary School.
Source: Supplied
