Parents are up in arms in Ulundi, in the north of KwaZulu-Natal, after some of the schools have decided to close due to the shutdown of their water supply by the Zululand District.
This comes after some of the affected schools have sent letters to the parents informing them about the closures.
Imbilane High School in Ulundi was closed on 15 August.
Principal VZ Mbatha issued a communiqué to the parents that the school was closing and a date for reopening not yet known. Scrolla.Africa is in possession of the letter that was sent last week.
“Parents, you are kindly informed that you have to keep your child safe at home because the school is closed from the 15th August 2024. The reopening is not yet known since it will depend on the water supply availability. So far the school is experiencing a water supply shutdown,” said Mbatha.
When Mbatha was approached for comment, she told Scrolla.Africa that she is not allowed to talk to the media.
The chairperson of Imbilane’s school governing body, Sihle Mbatha (who is not related to the principal), told Scrolla.Africa that the issue is between the district municipality and the Department of Education.
“As Imbilane High School we overpaid our bills for water but when the district municipality decided to shut down the water supply in those schools that are owing the municipality, they shut down all, even those that were paying.”
Mbatha said when they enquired about the shutdown, they were told that the Department of Education owes the municipality.
“I tried with the principal to talk to district municipality officials but they told me their lawyers have advised that they must no longer talk to us over this matter,” said Mbatha.
He revealed that due to this crisis they wrote to the circuit office of the Department of Education to inform them that the situation is beyond their control and they have opted to close the school.
Mbatha said that in fact water supply was cut in 2020 when the district municipality decided to install boreholes in schools and bring in water tankers.
He said after that it seems the department failed to honour their agreement and the district has decided to cut all of its water supply to Ulundi schools.
KZN Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlmbi did not respond to questions sent to him via WhatsApp. He only read them but didn’t respond and his phone rang unanswered.
Zanele Mthethwa of Zululand District Municipality Communications could not respond before the deadline.
Pictured above: Imbilane High School in Ulundi that has been closed due to a water supply crisis.
Source: Supplied
