Occupational safety certificate delays the opening of boarding facilities at Nokuthula LSEN School

The MEC for the Gauteng Department of Education, Panyaza Lesufi, has responded to questions of the DA’s shadow MEC in the Department of Education, Khume Ramulifho.

Lesufi said the school was fully functioning and boarding facilities will be opened for learners once the school receives a permanent occupational safety certificate from the City of Johannesburg.

The MEC was responding to a list of questions asked by Ramulifho who was denied permission to conduct a walkabout at the school with members of the media during his unannounced oversight visit on 10 July this year.

In his quest to get answers, Ramulifho then decided to write to the MEC regarding a number of issues at the school, including the issue of an occupational safety certificate.

In his response, Lesufi said the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development has submitted all the required documents to the City of Johannesburg in order to be granted a permanent occupational safety certificate.

The school currently caters for 360 learners.

“The school is fully functioning and operational except for the boarding facilities which remain unoccupied due to delays in obtaining a permanent occupational safety certificate from the City of Johannesburg,” Lesufi said.

Ramulifho has called on both the City of Johannesburg, Department of Education and Department of Infrastructure Development to come together and find a quick solution to the matter that he said has been dragging on for years.

“It is not acceptable that millions of rand of tax payers money is spent and some of the facilities remain unused. We cannot have a boarding facility that is fully furnished but not utilised.”

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