Lesufi’s new “feeder zones” will cause chaos
23 October 2018
The new regulations for the amendment of schools' feeder zones proposed by the MEC for Education in Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, will result in utter chaos if they are adopted.
At present, schools' feeder zones cover a radius of 5km. It means that learners who live in or whose parents work in a radius of 5km from the school are seen as learners who are part of that school's natural feeder zone.
These learners, therefore, enjoy preference for placement at the school. Most schools do indeed accept learners from outside its natural feeder zone if there is still space left after initial placement.
Lesufi now wants to change the radius of feeder zones to 30km. This is according to the regulation amendments that the MEC published in the Government Gazette on the 30th of July 2018. Since then, more than 10 000 objections to the amendments have been submitted to the Department of Education in Gauteng.