By Everson Luhanga
- Phakamani Primary School in Kanana Park Extension 1 sends learners home early when it rains because the roads become too dangerous.
- The DA is calling on Gauteng Cooperative Governance MEC Jacob Mamabolo and the City of Johannesburg to fix the dangerous roads.
Learners at Phakamani Primary School in Kanana Park Extension 1 face dangerous conditions every day just to get to class.
The roads leading to the school are not tarred or properly maintained. Community complaints led to an oversight visit, which found that access is so bad that only 4×4 vehicles can reach the school.
When it rains, things get even worse. The school is forced to send learners home early before the roads become completely unusable. This disrupts learning and affects learners’ right to education. Some children struggle to reach the school at all because of the dangerous conditions.
Teachers who drive to school also face challenges. They pay R100 each to pass through a resident’s backyard, which offers a shorter and safer route to the school. This arrangement has been in place for years.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on Gauteng Cooperative Governance MEC Jacob Mamabolo to work with the City of Johannesburg to fix the roads urgently.
The DA said it is concerned that poor infrastructure continues despite promises from Premier Panyaza Lesufi that road investments would benefit communities beyond major events.
The party said it will ask questions to find out whether there are plans to upgrade and tar roads in the area. It said poor service delivery has left residents and learners struggling, and called for urgent action to restore safe access to the school.
Pictured above: Phakamani Primary School.
Image source: Phakamani Primary School/Facebook
