Cape Town - Two million rand - that’s the estimated amount ratepayers will have to fork out to repair damage caused by ongoing protests in Joe Slovo, Milnerton, which has resulted in the torching of a MyCiTi bus and two public buildings, the City said.
The protests, which started on Sunday, reportedly over an illegal school and later the erection of illegal structures on the same site, spilled over into Monday.
Mayoral committee member for safety and security; and social services JP Smith said: “The Joe Slovo Community Centre, including another hall at the back, as well as the MyCiTi bus, cost over R2m. No room within this facility was spared in this act of violence. The main hall and kitchen have both sustained substantial fire damage.
“Even the storeroom of the facility was burnt down, along with all of the recreation equipment stored within it.
“Regular programmes at the facility include aerobics, basketball, drama and crèche programmes.
“The centre also had a very popular gym. We will also not be able to repair the Joe Slovo Community Centre any time soon, because it has just been upgraded. You cannot destroy public infrastructure like this.”
In January after the Sinenjongo High School was completed, a new school was started by the community, on the premises they evacuated. It was called Khozi Primary School. About 400 learners attended it.
It’s here, after the Western Cape Education Department removed the mobile classrooms from the premises that the community put up temporary housing structures in its place. The illegal housing structures were later demolished four times. On Sunday, a MyCiTi bus was torched followed by two buildings.
In response to where the 400 pupils will be accommodated, the department said that its district officials had arranged accommodation for the pupils at four schools in the area.
Angry protesters from Joe Slovo in Milnerton burnt a MyCiTi bus after the anti-land invasion unit demolished their shacks. Picture: Phando Jikelo/ANA Pictures
Department spokesperson Paddy Attwell said: “The department placed additional mobile classrooms at Marconi Beam and Tygerhof primary schools to accommodate learners, and deployed extra teachers to these schools. Officials also arranged to place learners in grades 5 and 6 at Silverleaf Primary and Grade 7s at Dunoon Primary. Parents refused to move their children.
“The WCED and the provincial Department of Public Works obtained a high court interdict in March to evict the illegal school. The sheriff of the high court evicted the illegal school on June 7 and contractors started removing the mobile classrooms.”
But Busiswe Matshokotha from Joe Slovo, whose child attended the illegal school, said that her child had been at home since June 7.
“Most of the children are still at home and looking for a school. When we got to Silverleaf Primary, we were told that the department never told them to accommodate the children at the school. At Marconi, we were told that the school is already full.”