PRESIDENCY BANS ALL MARCHES TO UNION BUILDINGS

EQUAL EDUCATION LAUNCHES URGENT COURT APPLICATION STANDS BY RIGHT TO MARCH TO UNION BUILDINGS ON FRIDAY 26 MARCH 2010 IN CAMPAIGN FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Equal Education (EE) is a national movement of learners, parents, teachers and community members working for quality and equality in South African education. EE has over 1,000 members and over 50,000 signed-up supporters.

EE is presently leading the Campaign for School Libraries, a national campaign of poor and working class people aimed at securing and implementing a National Policy on School Libraries.

Our objective is to ensure access to books and information for every learner in South Africa. This Campaign was triggered by the fact that:

According to the government only 8% of public schools have libraries.

South Africa's learner literacy level is amongst the worst in the world; in a 2009 study involving 14 Sub-Saharan African countries South Africa was ranked ninth behind countries including Mozambique, Tanzania and Swaziland.

Since 1997 six draft school libraries policies have been circulated by the former national Department of Education, yet none has been implemented!

The last week of March is SA Libraries Week. To promote our call for school libraries marches are being held in Cape Town (21 March), Pretoria-Tshwane (26 March) and Polokwane (30 March). 2000 supporters are expected to attend our march to the Union Buildings, the seat of government, on 26 March 2010. The marchers will largely comprise of members of EE, school going children and parents who pose no security risk.

EE gave notice to Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) of our intention to march to the Union Buildings more than a month in advance, even though the legislation requires only a week's notice.

Since then the TMPD has repeatedly refused EE the right to march to the Union Buildings. The reason TMPD gives is a blanket ban on all marches to the Union Buildings as directed by the Director General (DG) in the Presidency, Mr. Vusi Mavimbela. EE will give documentation to the press upon request.

EE has written multiple letters to the TMPD and the DG to try to avoid legal action. We have given extensions and now resort to legal action as a last resort. Therefore on Tuesday 16 March 2010 Equal Education's legal representatives, the AIDS Law Project, will launch an urgent application seeking to overturn the prohibition of a march to the Union Buildings and asserting our rights to demonstrate, as provided for in section 17 of the Constitution.

EE desires to work with government to address the crises of quality and inequality in our education system. We seek a positive working relationship with the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

We do not want to waste time in unnecessary court battles. But in this case we are left with no other choice.

Statement issued by Equal Education, March 16 2010

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