The construction of the new parallel-medium primary school on the corner of John Vorster and Paul Kruger roads in Radiokop is on hold.
This, after the school, which was initially scheduled to open in January 2015, failed to meet the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations.
Ward 97 councillor Jaco Engelbrecht explained that there was no new information from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE)
“I sent them an email requesting information about any latest development and the Department has not yet responded,” said Engelbrecht.
GDE’s spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane explained the school was planned to be an Alternative Construction Technology (ACT).
“The project is delayed by the Environmental Impact Assessment that was recently done on the site. The Department is still waiting for the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment report from the municipality. The project cannot proceed without this municipal report,” Sekhonyane said.
The project for the new Panorama Primary School was initially planned to start in November 2014 and be completed in April 2015 with a budget of R20 million.
“The Department will proceed with construction once the assessment report is finalised with the municipality,” concluded Sekhonyane.
The MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi told the Provincial Legislature in May that the construction at the school would commence as soon as all the documentation wwas approved by the municipality.
He told the legislature that the process of proper zoning, Environmental Impact Assessment and approval of building plans were some of the reasons for the delay.
Details: Ward 97 councillor Jaco Engelbrecht 082 318 6514; Gauteng Department of Education 011 355 0000.
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