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The DA calls on the Gauteng MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi to resolve the dispute with the contractor as a matter of urgency to ensure that Kwadedangendlale High School learners in Zola, Soweto have alternative classrooms while the refurbishment of their classrooms is underway.

It has been reported that the contractor who provided the school with container classrooms has terminated the contract with the department over payment issues. The contractor wanted to remove the mobile classrooms from site and leave learners to be educated in the open, exposed to the elements.

This clearly indicates that Gauteng schools are facing a severe infrastructure crisis and the learners are the ones that are suffering.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s (GPL) Education Portfolio Committee has visited the school several times and has alerted the department about the terrible condition of the school’s infrastructure.

The refurbishment of the school is currently underway, and learners have been relocated to container classrooms.

The department is failing to prioritise the fixing of the old and dilapidated school infrastructure across the province, yet they underspent by almost R1 billion in the 2018/19 financial year.

Its high time that MEC Lesufi go back to basics and prioritise school infrastructure upgrades over Information Communication Technology assets (ICT).

We will continue to put pressure on MEC Lesufi to ensure that all our school infrastructure is in a good state and the environment is conducive for learning and teaching.

Issued by DA