After almost two weeks of protesting, things got out of hand, when learners from Cyril Clarke Secondary School and John Mdluli Primary in Mataffin, who were relocated from their permanent schools to make way for the construction of the stadium, decided to take matters into their own hands.
After struggling to concentrate in ‘class rooms’ without proper ventilation, a number of children were later arrested on charges of malicious damage to property and police used tear gas to control the situation.
DA Provincial Leader and Spokesperson on Education in Mpumalanga, Anthony Benadie says he is shocked to that the two schools vacated in 2006 to make way for the Mbombela 2010 Stadium are still making use of temporary class rooms.
“It is horrific that the 2010 World Cup that will make history in our province is becoming a nightmare to thousands of learners as a result of the Education Department’s poor planning,” he says.
“Instead of fast tracking this very important issue, they are planning to move the temporary structures to a different location. This decision will not solve the problems experienced by the 1 280 pupils cramped into small, poorly equipped and poorly ventilated classrooms. While 2010 is critical for the country as well as our province, the gain of the success to South Africa should not be at the expense of our nation’s citizens.
“On numerous occasions the DA called for a joint venture between the department of education and public works, and this proved to be futile when two years later the project has not even passed the planning stage.”
