Community denies involvement in school fire

Two classrooms were destroyed at Katlehong Primary School in Katlehong South last Thursday morning.

The community, who were allegedly protesting at the time, were alleged to have been involved in the fire.

However, this was not confirmed by the Katlehong police who opened a case of arson following the incident.

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The Gauteng Department of Education and Youth Development has since weighed in on the tragedy.

The department said in a statement that it accepted the community’s and principal’s account of events that they did not mobilise and burn the school.

“We fully support the community’s standpoint; henceforth, we will work with them and the police to apprehend this rogue element.

“However, the reality is that we do not have funds to repair the school.

“The department is at an advanced stage of checking what can be salvaged from this mess,’’ said Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.

Classes resumed at the school yesterday.

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Katlehong SAPS communications officer Capt Mega Ndobe confirmed that police were still investigating the cause of the fire.

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