School has no water or power, parents say

Flooded toilets at the Westbury Primary School bathrooms The school has been without water and electricity for about three months. 220514

Flooded toilets at the Westbury Primary School bathrooms The school has been without water and electricity for about three months. 220514

Published May 27, 2014

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Johannesburg - Parents of pupils at Westbury Primary School are worried about their children’s safety.

They claim that the school, located in the west of Joburg, has been without water and electricity for at least three months.

According to the parents, the school was supposed to have a meeting with the teachers and parents to discuss the situation, but that did not happen.

“In February, we went to the school to clean up. The toilets are not flushing at all, there is vomit everywhere and it is smelly and dirty,” said the mother of a Grade 5 pupil, who did not want to be named for fear that her child would be victimised.

Department spokeswoman Phumla Sekhonyane said the department became aware of the electricity disconnection last month, intervened and settled the amount owing. “When power was restored, there was a power surge that caused further damage. The department has appointed a contractor to fix the power problem, as well as a plumber to fix the sewerage and holes around the school.

“The safety of learners is our priority, and we can assure parents that the work at the school will be completed within a week,” she said.

Sekhonyane said the matter of parents cleaning the school was brought to their attention in February after the parents complained about not receiving the stipend they were allegedly promised. The department could not verify the allegations after its intervention team investigated.

Sekhonyane said the team’s aim was to mediate between the school and parents as well as to restore calm at the school.

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