PRETORIA - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Monday bemoaned the impact of the #AlexShutDown protest on education, as schools in the township remain closed amidst a massive service delivery protest.
"It's one of those discouraging things in the system. I get very disappointed that communities don't appreciate the value of schooling. Maybe sometimes it's for safety, that when there is a shutdown we don't want kids in the streets, but unfortunately you find them [learners] in the streets," Motshekga said in Pretoria.
"Whenever there is something irritating communities, the first target is the school."
The irate Alexandra residents on Monday marched to Sandton, vowing to sleep at the City of Johannesburg's Sandton regional offices if Mayor Herman Mashaba fails to come and address them.
The residents braved the cold on Monday and marched from Alexandra to Sandton to hand over a memorandum of grievances, after almost a week of protesting over lack of basic services, overcrowding and housing.
One of the organisers of the #AlexShutDown protest, Sandile Mavundla said they submitted a memorandum to the city in February and never got a response hence they have resorted to protesting.