MEC Sello Lehari pleads with parents at Ennis Thabong Primary School near Brits to not block roads after children were not transported to school
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Community Safety and Transport Management MEC in the North West Mr Sello Lehari says he is not happy that school learners are sometimes used as a tool to gain attention from the government by community members.
This follows a protest that occurred at Hartebeest near Brits in Tshwane where community members in the area took their frustration to the streets after their children were not transported to school in the first week of school reopening.
It is said that Ennis Thabong Primary School learners waited for buses to collect them on the school reopening day but to no avail, only teachers were at the school on the day.
Out of frustration, community members decided to blockade the roads to seek officials’ attention to which MEC Lehari condemned saying this should not be a way to communicate and resolve issues.
Following investigation by MEC Lehari’s office it was found that the service provider held back their services after not being paid only to be found later on that the delayed payment to the service provider was due to late submission of invoices and information that needed to be corrected before payment could be made.
He said that he hopes that this would be the last time learners are compromised for things that do not concern them.
“We must remember it is the children who suffer when we are bickering on who is wrong and who is right between the Department and the operators. Never again should children not be transported. We should as leaders think of the future of those children. We cannot even begin to rationalise not ferrying children and argue about late payment and late invoices. Let us work together” said MEC Lehari.
He committed that he will be at the school Monday morning 07:00am to make sure everything is done as agreed and learning continues.
