Klipspruit residents want 'serious solutions' from Gauteng premier
3 August 2017
Johannesburg - Klipspruit West residents upset about the appointment of a black principal at a local high school, on Thursday demanded to see Gauteng premier David Makhura and his education MEC.
"We want those two guys here. They must come here and put some serious solutions on the table," said Anthony Williams, a member of Patriots for Equality. "Put the interests of the children first."
Patriots for Equality represents coloured teachers in Eldorado Park.
Williams said coloureds were being treated with disrespect.
"We will not sit around and clap hands while our children are falling into drugs and dropping out of school."
On Thursday morning, residents torched a Putco bus and blocked the K43 road with burning tyres. A few people gathered near Klipspruit Valley Road to stage a peaceful protest with placards. The bus and the obstructions in the road were later removed.
Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubela said a case of malicious damage to property and public violence would be opened following the violence during the protest.
After a black principal was appointed at Klipspruit-Wes Secondary School, residents and parents locked the school gates and stopped pupils from getting to classes on the first day of the third term last Monday. They want a coloured principal in the predominantly coloured area.
Last Wednesday, education MEC Panyaza Lesufi met locals for talks. He dissolved the school governing body.
The department condemned the disruption of learning and teaching at both Klipspruit-Wes and the neighbouring St Ives Primary School, Lesufi’s spokesperson Steve Mabona said. Department officials would meet the Eldos Steering Committee at 18:00.
Mabona said Lesufi had appealed to residents to let him finalise the appointment of the principal and report back.
Makhura’s spokesperson, Phumla Sekhonyana, said acting education MEC Jacob Mamabolo would meet community leaders on Thursday afternoon.
She said Makhura had sent his service delivery advisor, Eric Xayiya, to work with the department. Makhura appealed to all parties to put the interests of the children first and ensure schooling was not disrupted while a solution was being sought.
