Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Tuesday that they were disappointed to discover that Nokuthula LSEN School in Lyndhurst, Johannesburg, which was meant to be opened last year was still not operational.
“This is a white elephant gathering dust,” DA shadow MEC of Education Khume Ramulifho said in a statement.
“Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, announced that the school would be operational at the beginning of the third term.”
Ramulifho said during the DA‘s oversight inspection of the newly built Nokuthula LSEN School on Tuesday, they were shocked to see that there were no learners or teachers and that the school was vacant.
“It is not clear why there are still delays for learners to utilise the school as the City of Johannesburg has given the department occupation certificate.”
“According to MEC Lesufi, there was an arrangement with the City of Joburg and the department of education in which a six-months occupation certificate was issued.”
Ramulifho said it was shameful that the state-of-the-art school, with much needed facilities, was standing empty.
“Learners who will make use of this new school are cramped in an unsafe warehouse in Marlboro not knowing when they will be relocated,” he added.
“This R300 million school, which was officially opened in October last year, has been abandoned and it is evident that there has been no maintenance or upkeep carried out.”
He said the GDE was denying learners, who were in desperate need of the facility, an opportunity of a lifetime.
“The DA will engage with MEC Lesufi to ascertain why this school has not been occupied and when will it open its gates to deserving learners.”