Cape Town – As the number of schools recording positive Covid-19 cases among staff continues to rise, parents against the reopening of schools next week said they were waiting for new regulations to be gazetted in order to institute legal action against the Education Department.
Hlathhi Mungeka, a teacher at Harry Gwala High School in Khayelitsha, said staff heard yesterday that a co-worker had tested positive.
This was after confirmed cases at Parkvale Primary School in Valhalla Park, the Hague Primary School in Delft and Sinethemba High School in Philippi.
Staff from Ihlumelo Primary, Inkwenkwezi Primary, Kuyakhanya Primary, Mbekweni Primary, Nieuwe Drift Primary, Ocean View Secondary, Zwelihle Primary, Impendulo Primary, Enkululekweni Primary, Ikhaya primary schools and EA Janari Primary School in Bonteheuwel have each also recorded positive cases, the Cape Times previously learnt from a reliable source.
“There is a lot of anxiety among colleagues,” Mungeka said. “Someone tested positive. Our school currently is unable to enforce the health and safety regulations.”
Members of the Parents Against the Opening of Schools planned to interdict Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga from reopening schools for grade 7 and 12 on Monday.
Founder Vanessa le Roux said yesterday: “We were hoping that the regulations would have been gazetted already. We’ve been advised that if it goes to court, the court will say that there’s no regulation to challenge.”
The Basic Education Department said the regulations were expected to be drafted this week.