ANGRY PREMIER MABUZA LASHES OUT AT PARENTS FOR STOPPING LEARNERS TO GO TO SCHOOL
28 March 2017
An angry Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza today [Tuesday, 28 March 2017] lashed out at the parents of two Marite schools in Bushbuckridge for stopping their children from attending school for the past two months, in demand for the tarred roads in their area.
Premier Mabuza held separate meetings with the parents of the two schools and instructed that all the learners as well as the teachers should return back to school as from tomorrow [Wednesday, 29 March 2017].
The Premier said it would be safe for them to go back to school as the police would be deployed throughout Bushbuckridge to ensure that no one was stopped from going to school.
He urged the parents to be responsible and allow children to go to school, saying the police would deal with those who intimidated the learners and the teachers. He said some few suspects had been arrested after they were found in possession of the computers stolen from the schools.
“We are going to re-open all the schools tomorrow. We will not run away from our schools because of the criminals, this country will never be for criminals. Let us allow our children to go to schools, it is their right to do so, parents should not interrupt our children from getting their education,” said Premier Mabuza.
The parents publicly told the Premier that they purposely blocked the learners from going to school because they wanted a tarred road. They said they did not know who torched the schools but suspected the criminals in the area.
The Premier explained that the provincial government would prioritize the revamping of the schools than the tarred road, which they were demanded, would only be built next year, as it was not budgeted for.
He added that the revamping would continue while learning and teaching was taking place, as too much time had already been lost due to protests.
“We have too many needs, yet our resources are limited, therefore we must utilize them sparingly. It is unheard of that parents would deny their children a good future, by stopping them from accessing education because they are demanding the tarred roads."
“These children are the future of our country, we must do anything possible to help them get educated. That is why as a government we are even paying for their education. I have heard your complaints, the tarred road will only be built next year, therefore do not stop our children from going to school,” said Premier Mabuza.
Issued by Zibonele Mncwango
Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier
Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Office of the Premier
Tel: (013) 766 2453
Mobile: 082 616 6698
E-mail: mncwangoz@prem.mpg.gov.za
