Zille's after party for school children at her official residence

3 October 2018

The unruly and undisciplined behaviour of learners at Rondebosch Boys High School’s Matric Dance After Party at the Premier’s residence, Leeuwenhof, should serve as a warning to the DA about their disastrous plans to allow the use and sale alcohol on school premises.

Residents were up in arms about the shocking behaviour of the learners, who refused to heed to requests from the Premier’s neighbours to stop their thuggish behaviour. They even pelted the police officer who wanted to close down the party with bottles.

That Western Cape premier Helen Zille allowed this type of behaviour – a late night drunken binge - at Leeuwenhof, a supposed bastion of decorum, boggles the mind. According to some residents she did not even have the decency to inform them of the party. 

Those learners who had the gall to pelt a police officer with bottles, must have consumed a considerable amount of alcohol. 

The DA is hell-bent on pushing through the Western Cape Education School Amendment Bill and Provincial Cabinet approved it even before it was discussed at the Council of Education Ministers.

According to the DA the Bill provides the option for schools to apply to have alcohol at events outside school hours and this is subject to strict conditions. The recent events at Leeuwenhof is a perfect illustration of what we can expect if the DA goes ahead with this potentially destructive Bill.

Schools on the Cape Flats and in the townships, already battlefields for gangsters, will become even more of a no-go zone for community members if we allow the DA to turn them into shebeens. Research has proved that alcohol abuse plays a huge role in domestic or other types of violence if alcohol on school premises is allowed, the problem will become more prevalent – leading to more pressure on our already stretched police force. 

The negative impact on teaching would also be disastrous. This Bill is morally flawed, but so is the DA.

The ANC want answers from the DA regarding this issue. Why did they go against their own legal opinion that the clauses in the Bill were in conflict with existing regulations contained in the national Schools Act that dealt with safety measures at public schools and forged ahead with this controversial Bill? 

Does it care about the people of the Western Cape, who at public meetings unequivocally rejected the Bill?

It knows that the poor communities, where excessive alcohol abuse is a serious problem, will be hardest hit by the irresponsible plan. But they are hell-bent on damaging the already fragile communities even more. 

The ANC also demands answers to the following questions: Who gave permission for Leeuwenhof to be used for an after party? Can a matric class from a Cape Flats or Township school also apply to use Leeuwenhof as an after-party venue? 

How much alcohol was consumed at the party? Was there adult supervision? If so, who provided supervision? If not, why not? Was there drunken driving after the party? 

As tax payers we in the ANC  demand an explanation and a public apology for the misuse of Leeuwenhof!

Issued by Faiez Jacobs, Spokesperson, ANC Western Cape, 3 October 2018