Polokwane, Limpopo -
Charges should be laid against the ANC Youth League after pupils participated in a march in Polokwane, Cosatu said on Thursday.
“We condemn the disruption of learning at schools... and call upon the department of basic education, and the school governing bodies of these schools to lay criminal charges where possible,” said provincial Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesman Dan Sebabi.
ANCYL protesters marched to Limpopo premier Cassel Mathale's offices in Polokwane on Thursday to demand the dismissal of education MEC Dickson Masemola and the delivery of textbooks across the province.
The league was also protesting against the national government's placing five Limpopo departments, including education, under administration.
Among the protesters were pupils from the Moruleng and Mohlakaneng secondary schools, who were bussed to SABC park, where the march started. Their schools had not given them permission to join the march.
They carried placards which read: “We demand jobs”, and “Administration must release our province”.
The Limpopo provincial government said while it welcomed the ANCYL's memorandum of demands, it advised march organisers “to refrain from disruptive activities”.
“Anyone who disrupts schooling in Limpopo will be dealt with according to the law,” spokesman Tebatso Mabitsela said.
The education department said it was disappointing that ANCYL members were disrupting schooling.
“We want to urge the principals, school governing bodies and parents to urgently report any disruptions to the law enforcement agency, and also appeal to learners to refrain from participating in any event that is not curriculum orientated,” spokesman Pat Kgomo said. - Sapa