The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on Sol Plaatje municipality in conjunction with the Department of Education, to ensure that the sewage flood at Greenpoint High School in Kimberley is urgently resolved before learners start with their Grade 12 preliminary examinations next week.
Learners were sent home early at the start of the week due to being unable to use the bathrooms. By the end of the week, the school had to be completely closed.
DA councillor Marie Beylefeld already reported a sewage spill in the street behind Greenpoint High to the municipality, in the week prior to the school closure. As sewage began encroaching on the school, she was instructed by the ANC ward councillor to report the matter to the Education Department, whereafter she was referred to the Department of Roads and Public Works. Direct calls to the Sol Plaatje sanitation department were to date also met with empty promises that they would attend to the spill.
It is unacceptable that local and provincial government institutions are abdicating themselves from this matter, which has effectively been left to fester to the extent that it is affecting learners rights to schooling.
Earlier in the week, during parliamentary Basic Education committee meetings, I raised my concerns regarding the impact of sewage spillages at schools, like Greenpoint High and Elizabeth Conradie in Kimberley, with the Education Department. I have today contacted Education MEC Abraham Vosloo. While he indicated that this is the first he has heard of the situation at Greenpoint High, I appreciate his commitment to intervene to ensure that, together with relevant departments, the spill is fixed, drained and cleaned before the new school week resumes on Monday.
We cannot have learners and educators exposed to health and safety risks at schools because government departments are failing at basic service delivery, and to work together.