Class of darkness - parents and learners raise alarm over hazardous and dilapidated historic Durban school

The school now relies on these mobile toilets. But between March and July, learners were urinating on the field behind their classrooms. (Photo: Benita Enoch)

By Benita Enoch

15 Aug 2022

Some classrooms at Bantuvukani Primary School have broken windows and ceilings. Others do not have doors.

More than 60 learners are crammed into one class at Bantuvukani Primary School in Lamontville, south of Durban. The school is one of the oldest in Lamontville and is badly dilapidated.

Some classrooms have broken windows and ceilings. Others do not have doors. Classrooms without doors have security gates wrapped in plastic in a bid to keep out cold winds and rain. The school is also without electricity.

Bantuvukani has 1,100 learners.

On 21 July, parents and learners locked the gates to demand that the provincial education department fix the poor state of the school. They accused the department of failing to keep its promise to fix the school after it was badly damaged in a storm in October 2017.

School falling apart

According to school governing body (SGB) chairperson, Thami Radebe, the department had appointed a contractor in 2018, but the job was never completed.

“The [incomplete] work done was so badly that we had to close off certain areas of the school to avoid children getting hurt,” he said. Radebe said classrooms without doors have become a big safety risk too because of “stray dogs and a lot of wild monkeys that come into the classroom sometimes”.

Mlungisi Mbele, a parent and deputy chairperson of the SGB, said the school was quoted R1.4-million for electrical repairs and upgrades alone. Work on the connections had resulted in a fire and the power was never restored. “The entire school was plunged into darkness. At one stage, parents were giving money to a neighbour to run an extension cord from her house to the school,” he said.

Mbele explained that the school was declared a no-fee school in 2014. “The school serves a very poor community,” he said.

He said in one class there are between 60 and 70 learners “because certain buildings are not safe”.

An image of a part of the school’s corridor that has been closed off using an old door. SGB deputy chairperson and parent Mlungisi Mbele points out a part of the school’s corridor that has been closed off using an old door. Scaffolding still holds up an incomplete roof. (Photo: Benita Enoch)

According to a document dated 9 April 2019, Pshika Trading Enterprise — the company hired to do repairs at Bantuvukani for the storm damage — completed and partially completed work included repairs and renovations of ceiling boards, painting, gutters, and window glazing.

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However, when we visited the school earlier this month, the property did not look like what you would expect a newly renovated school to look like.

Mangoato Klaas, owner of Pshika Trading Enterprise, confirmed that his company did work on Bantuvukani. He directed all questions to the department when we asked how the projected R3.8-million budget was spent.

The SGB said that a new contractor was appointed on 21 July to build new toilets but has only completed the cement foundation so far. They were told renovations would begin in January 2023.

GroundUp has not been able to verify these claims as the department has not responded to our questions.

Learners were without toilets for four months

The entire roof structure on the girls’ toilet block was removed and can no longer be used. Shrubbery is growing inside and around the toilets.

Radebe said the toilets have been in this state for five years. He said in 2018, the department delivered 14 mobile toilets. This was meant to be a temporary solution while new toilets were to be built but this never happened.

The mobile toilets, for girls and boys, remained at the school until March this year. “We asked the department why expensive toilets are rented when the money could have been used for construction. We never got an answer,” said Rabede.

A view of the girls' toilet block that has been severely damaged. The girls’ toilet was completely destroyed after the roof was ripped out during renovation in 2018. This was never replaced. (Photo: Benita Enoch)

Radebe said that between March and when the parents protested in late July, learners were forced to relieve themselves on the school’s field behind their classrooms. “Parents were very angry that months had gone by and their children were still in the same position.”

A day after the protest by parents and learners in July, 15 mobile toilets were dropped off at the school. GroundUp was told by a source in the department that the company had initially reclaimed the toilets from the school after the department failed to pay. (The mobile toilets are still being used at the school though.) DM

Mobile toilets stationed at the school. The school now relies on these mobile toilets. But between March and July, learners were urinating on the field behind their classrooms. (Photo: Benita Enoch)

First published by GroundUp.

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South Africa

School falling apart

Learners were without toilets for four months