By Karabo Rammutla
Learners and teachers are forced to carry buckets of water when they go to the toilet at the Sediba sa Thuto Primary School in Mamelodi East, Tshwane.
The school has two water tanks but it has not had water for more than two months.
Parent Thulani Mabena said because of the problem some kids had to stay at home so that the school could save water.
Mabena said they raised the problem with the SGB and their ward councillor but nothing had been done.
“The chairperson of the SGB fought with the councillor and she told us she won’t go begging for water from an arrogant councillor. Their feud has left our kids in an unhygienic situation,” he said.
“No one is interested in solving the problem. We hear nothing from the school. This can’t be right. Someone has to do their job.”
It is not the first time this school has been in the news and for the wrong reasons. Before the June school holidays, parents shut down the school because of overcrowding.
Ward 97 councillor, Ananias Mogalusi, said a contractor will start work on a problematic pipe valve soon. He asked parents to bear with the municipality while they are fixing the problem.
“It is not only the school that is affected. There are some streets where there is no water and we have given them water tanks as we resolve the issue. The contractor was waiting for an excavator and he will start work very soon,” he said.
“The problem is temporary and we are making sure that while there is no pressure in the pipes, we supply the kids with water so that schooling can proceed.”
Pictured below: Water tanks at Sediba sa Thuto Primary school.
Pictures source: Karabo Rammutla