Johannesburg – Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi will host an education imbizo at Roodepoort Primary School on Friday to find a solution to the stand-off that has disrupted teaching at the school.On Monday, Lesufi said the troubled school would be closed permanently if learning was disrupted one more time.
“I am giving them their last chance. It is with a heavy heart, [that I say] that any form of disruption that takes place as from tomorrow [Tuesday], [will leave me with no] option but to permanently close the school,” he told reporters in Johannesburg at the time.
“We will spread the learners to all the surrounding schools, as well as the teachers.”
Lesufi’s warning followed two incidents at the school last week.
“My fear is that I am exposing these young ones to a serious risk of violence, of guns, of petrol bombs… So I have to protect the interests of these children.
“I am at the stage where I am appealing to all relevant parties to please allow these young ones to go to school.”
Armed person enters school
He said a petrol bomb was thrown at the deputy principal’s car last week, but a security company Lesufi had hired for the school, managed to douse the flames.
“Two days later, a person claiming to be a parent entered the school premises armed, looking for the school principal,” Lesufi said.
“The security firm managed to search the person and they retrieved the firearm, and that person was not allowed to proceed.
“This person was accompanied by another female companion who, on the basis of the information that we have, was going to get another firearm through the fence at the school premises.”
He said the two were handed over to the police.
“The police are continuing with the investigation.”
Police confirmed the arrests to News24 on August 4.
PH
