Parents dissatisfied about lack of professionalism at Reagaikele Crèche
Showdown at Reagaikele Crèche.
Parents and staff from Dobsonville Extension Three daycare centre, Reagaikele Community Centre, marched against the centre’s chairperson, Phumla Mdlankomo and her executive committee which was nominated three years ago, on October 22.
Their grievances include the non-availability of a social health official at the centre, maintenance of crèche infrastructure and the non-payment of salaries to staff for over five months.
Nthati Matsele who is an educator at the centre, said they have been facing the same situation of non-payment of their salaries for over five months without getting any solution.
“This year we had six to seven meetings with the Department of Social Development and the board members, but nothing has changed. The children are not receiving proper meals at the centre and it is not healthy for them.
“The staff were not informed about the financial challenges the crèche was experiencing by the board members,” said Matsele.
Uppermost on Matsele’s mind was how teachers would be surviving this month without having received their salaries, and how they would be paying their own children’s school fees. She added that she was also concerned about paying her monthly rental which has not been paid over five months.
The marchers demanded immediate answers and called for the current board members to be removed and qualified people placed in their stead to run the centre.
Parent representative Peter Nkwanyana’s grandchild attends school at Reagaikele crèche and he said, “My grandchild always returns home without having had anything to eat at the centre.
“We never skipped any monthly school fee payment at the crèche. We want to know how they are managing the centre’s funds because they are not taking good care of our children. Their fridges are empty and the food served to the children is substandard.
“My grandchild is enrolling at this centre and he was sick due to the unhealthy food he consumed at the centre. We had to take him to a doctor to be examined and we want inspectors to be assigned who will be able regularly to inspect this centre,” said Nkwanyana.
Bafana Masuku, who is a member of the board acknowledged that they have received the parents and staff members’ demands.
“The current executive committee is given seven days to reply on receipt of these demands,” said Masuku.
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