Feeding scheme at Hlobisa Primary School comes to a halt
According to them, Majozi said the water crisis is a national problem and with load-shedding, the water treatment plant can’t function properly.
Hlobisa Primary School took the bull by the horns and protested at Lekwa Municipality on April 21 because they had no water supply for a week.
The school has a feeding scheme for the learners, and some women brought dirty pots because they can’t cook, clean, or use the toilets.
It was alleged the water inside the water truck from Lekwa was dirty because some learners suffered from runny stomachs.
Teachers Mbali Luthuli, Maria Ngcobo and Thully Magdulela visited the newspaper’s offices the same day and sketched a sombre scenario.
According to them, the problem began in the first term. A meeting was held between the principal and the speaker for the municipality, Oliver Phiri.
A commitment to send water trucks to the school was made. On any given day, calls made to Lekwa are not always responded to.
“We don’t know who to talk to,” the teachers said.
MMC Majozi addressed the protesters in the courtyard of Lekwa the same day. According to them, Majozi said the water crisis is a national problem, and with load-shedding, the water treatment plant can’t function properly.
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He also said Lekwa has no backup generator, there is a shortage of water trucks, and the municipality is under financial constraints.
“We are back to square one,” Luthuli said.
The municipality only fills one JoJo but promises to fill the second one. Some learners went home without food, with most depending on the scheme.
The teachers said the learners’ concentration span is affected, and they go home to an empty house if the parents work.
“Learners are vulnerable, and the water situation is a hygiene and health hazard. The parents blame us.”
Hlobisa Primary School has 1 000 learners, and due to the water crisis, classes are disrupted because the learners go home at 10:00. The school closed at 08:30 on April 21.
“The syllabus was not completed in the previous term,” the teachers emphasised.
In conclusion, the teachers reiterated that they want to work. Luthuli confirmed on April 26 that Lekwa filled up two JoJos on April 24.
She said a call was received from Nyandeni Primary School, and it was looking for Majozi’s number. Nyandeni Primary School had no water supply on April 26.
