A Cape Flats school, which the Constitutional Court had ruled be shut down permanently, is being broken down by residents.
The 2017 decision by Education MEC, Debbie Schäfer, to shut the badly vandalised Uitzig High School resulted in the School Governing Body (SGB) taking Schäfer and the Western Cape Education Department to court.
They said Schäfer’s decision was unlawful, that the school could be fixed and that the high school was needed in the area.
Community leader,
Pastor Adam Alexander, says that while the final court ruling was made in July already, residents noted that the school was only
officially closed last Friday, and the next day they set the building alight and started
dismantling it.
DESTROYED: Mob set school alight after closure by WCED. Picture Monique Duval
“On Friday, the
department’s trucks were seen carrying things away. And when the community heard it was closing, out of
frustration they set it on fire,” he says.
“They came and broke down the school on Saturday and even tried to break into the temporary classrooms.
“I tried to intervene, but they wouldn’t listen. Many of them feel like the
government is not listening to them. And we have five primary schools in Uitsig and only two high schools.”
GRIND: Mob remove poles
Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, says they received a call shortly after 7pm on Saturday. Upon arrival at the scene, they found the administration building on fire.
“No injuries were reported and the fire was extinguished by 7.42pm. The cause of the fire is unknown,” he says.
When the Daily Voice
visited the school on Tuesday, children could be seen among the large group of mense who were busy removing poles,
fencing, electrical cables and even toilets from the site.
REMOVAL: Poles stolen from the temporary classrooms. Picture: Monique Duval
Armed with hammers, bricks and grinders, the group continued to tear down the school.
Schäfer’s spokesperson, Jessica Shelver, confirmed that the school was closed last week and the majority of the learners are attending St. Andrews and Ravensmead high schools.
“While the majority of equipment and furniture was removed from the school this past week, members of the community came onto the premises to steal and
vandalise what was
remaining.
Shelver says members of the community came onto the premises to steal and vandalise what was left of the school. Video: Monique Duval
“Mobile classrooms that were due to be removed this week and placed at other schools were destroyed and windows, piping, door frames and wiring were all removed leaving extensive damage to all areas of the school.
“It is extremely disturbing to see an institution such as this destroyed in such a
manner,’ says Schäfer.
“Regardless of the fact that it is being closed, the WCED still intended to utilise some of the resources for other schools who are in need.
“This is theft from our learners.”
Members of the community taking what's left of the school. Picture: Monique Duval