Pupils storm Eskom offices over transformer
“Since February, the transform has not been delivered and installed. We went to those offices to demand answers and transformers,”
SEBOKENG – PUPILS of Botebo-tsebo Secondary School in Zone 14 marched to Eskom offices in Sebokeng following a delayed transformer installation.
This is after the kasi was plunged into darkness following power station bombing.
Following the incident, the department purchased a transformer dedicated for the school.
The marching pupils claim that the R950 000 transformer was purchased in February, however till this day it has not been delivered.
Walking several kilometres to the Eskom offices, pupils carried placards some reading “No electricity no school”, “We demand our transformer now”.
Song and chant was an order of the day from the gatvol pupils.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster the pupil’s leader Thabang Lelosa who is in grade 11 said their school has recently been broken into.
“We decided to do the march due to concerns of safety. Our school was broken into during school holidays and this has severely affected us. Several copy machines were stolen,” he said.
Thabang said they gave the department 7 days to respond to their grievances or they will shut down the school completely.
Touching on the march to Eskom offices, Thabang said all the pupil want is to see electricity being restored.
“Department of Education purchased a transformer on our behalf so that the school can be separated from the residents grid. Since February, the transform has not been delivered and installed. We went to those offices to demand answers and transformers,” he added.
Asked how the issues affect reading and learning, Thabang said it’s slowing the syllabus.
“When we need to make copies, we must go to other schools or local libraries for reading material. This is serious for us, and we can’t ignore it,” he said.
Education spokesman Steve Mabona said the department is aware of the electricity challenges at Botebo-tsebo.
“Eskom is finalising a process to install a school dedicated transformer,” he said.
Touching on burglary, Mabona said “accordingly, burglaries, theft and vandalism of infrastructure are among the challenges that have contributed immensely to the current state of the school. We would like to implore community members to refrain from destroying our school infrastructure as this impedes negatively on the education of our learners”.
