The Democratic Alliance has today written to KZN Education MEC, Kwazi Mshengu (view here) to call for immediate intervention at Sidumuka Primary School in Nkandla following claims that his Department has not responded to ongoing appeals for help after the school was partially destroyed by a wind storm on 16 July.
The DA recently received complaints from concerned community members who are worried about the condition of the school and who forwarded photo’s (view here and here) to us. These indicate a school that is collapsing and unsafe for both teachers and learners. We have also established that some learners are being taught in a nearby church while Grade 5 and 6 children are being accommodated in a local hall which is supposedly in a poor condition, with the walls ‘falling down.
The DA is deeply concerned that despite numerous calls for help from the school management, the Department is yet to give this matter the urgent attention it deserves. We have reconfirmed that, as late as Friday, there was no response.
Not only is the environment at Sidumuka Primary School hazardous for these young children, teaching and learning is also being affected while the MEC sits on its hands.
The DA expects this matter to be addressed as a matter of urgency and has called for `park-homes` or `mobile classrooms` – or any other immediate measure – to be dispatched in the interim to ensure that everyone is safe. If this cannot be done, then the affected learners must be moved and accommodated at the nearest school. This must include urgent arrangements for the children to be transported there as well if such an exercise is undertaken.
We have also written to KZN Education portfolio chair, Jomo Sibiya in a bid to ensure that this school community receives the urgent help it needs. There is no time to waste and a tragedy must be avoided at all costs.