school structural defects death trap roodepoort hoerskook driehoek

Stock image of an empty class room. Photo: Envato Elements/romankosolapov

70 of the 190 ‘death trap’ schools flagged for structural defects

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi met with teachers and student representatives earlier this month to discuss the infrastructure of ‘death trap’ schools.

school structural defects death trap roodepoort hoerskook driehoek

Stock image of an empty class room. Photo: Envato Elements/romankosolapov

With the latest budget allocating R30 billion in funding to build new schools and maintain the existing school infrastructure, a recent report has laid bare just how dire the situation at many South African schools really is.

With the budget allocation for free higher education dwarfing that for school maintenance and for building schools, there’s a case to made that the priorities for spending are very much misaligned with the realities of the crisis in education.

Every year parents contend with long waiting lists to get their children placed, and the number of schools especially in urban areas seems woefully inadequate for the demand.

Just a few weeks ago, the country experienced a tragedy that claimed the lives of four learners at Hoërskool Driehoek, another ‘death trap’ school It caused by a lack of maintenance and their deaths could have been prevented.

More than 70 South African schools are said to require urgent attention many for serious structural problems. Hoërskool Roodepoort on the West Rand in Johannesburg, for example, is currently operating with 18 classrooms not in use due to the condition of the building.

Johan Kruger, director of operations at SAOU told The Citizen: “The SAOU launched a national survey to obtain an informed picture of the degree of compliance with the regulations and standards of public school infrastructure.” He added:

“The survey to date has identified more than 70 schools with infrastructure problems that can be categorised as requiring urgent attention to parts of the buildings. The average age of the schools is 68 years. School maintenance is woefully inadequate.”

In the wake of the Hoërskool Driehoek tragedy, the parents at Ennerdale Secondary School have had to take action themselves to prop up a collapsing walkway that connects two buildings at the school.

The Ennerdale parents have issued an ultimatum to Panyaza Lesufi, demanding action to bring the school up to code or they’ll close it themselves next week.

“Should undivided attention not be given, […] effective teaching and learning cannot take place from next week,” reads the memo sent to the Gauteng education MEC.