“Amalungelo, thina si lwela amalungelo wethu thina silwela amalungelo! (“We’re fighting for our rights.”) This was the chant by more than 200 residents who marched from Zandspruit Informal Settlement to Cosmo City Extension 3, in the north of Joburg.
Marchers went to the construction site of a new primary school in the area to demand jobs.
The peaceful march took place on Wednesday, and it was led by the Combat Movement and residents.
Cosmo City Primary School No. 2 is the new primary school that is being constructed in Cosmo City Extension 3, by Mintirho Business Enterprise.
Enos Maake, the leader of the Combat Movement, stated that the residents were not informed about the project, and that does not sit well with him as many young people are unemployed in the area.
“This project must shut down because the residents know nothing about it; even the construction company that is working here, we don’t know it,” Maake told “The Star”.
“This madness must stop, we want the Ward 114 councillor, David Mangena, and the construction company to have a meeting with us about the project and hire people from our community,” he said in disgust.
Nhlanhla Seopetsi, the manager of the project, was present during the march and was given an order to halt the building of the new primary school.
Maake further accused Ward 114 councillor Mangena of recruiting his preferred friends and foreign nationals to work on the project.
“We heard that the list is already available for people who will work here, and it was compiled by the councillor… So, we’re here to stop that from happening,” he said.
He continued: “The residents told me that the councillor is busy telling people that if they talk too much about this project, they won’t be employed.”
Meanwhile, Mangena has refuted the accusations, citing that he had a meeting with the community before the project commenced.
“I called a meeting in Cosmo City Extension 3 and some of Zandspruit residents did attend the meeting. We told them that the new primary school that will be constructed will be aimed at reducing the large number of learners in the area as there are a lot of learners in the classes and teachers are battling to cope,” said Mangena.
Furthermore, Xolani Mkhwente, the spokesperson for the MEC of Education, Matome Chiloane, confirmed to “The Star” that the department is working on the project in the area.
“The new school seeks to address education sector growth challenges in the Johannesburg north district; this is based on the over-utilisation of the existing facilities, the overcrowding, and the demand for schools in the Cosmo City area.”
Mkhwente further said that the project kicked off on September 20, last year, and is expected to last about 18 months.
“The school will have 28 classrooms with five Grade Rs, one administration block, one computer room, one library, one laboratory, one combi court and one nutrition hall.
“Schools are not built for specific townships, wards or sub-places, they are purely based on the need for spaces for learners of school-going age at a particular period.
“This is determined by the number of learners versus the number of facilities available in an area and the capacity of those facilities. Once the facilities have reached a cap, it warrants for a new school to be built. This is the same situation in terms of the admissions and placement pressures in Johannesburg North district and the Cosmo City area in particular,” he told “The Star”.
Mkhwente emphasised that community discussions were held, that the councillor was part of the project-steering committee and the locals were called to submit their résumés.
However, the movement’s leader and the residents said that they would continue to march if their demands are not met.
The Star
Simon Majadibodu