Cape Town — Parents of Kliptown Primary School in Soweto have voiced outrage over the school’s poor condition as the 2025 academic year began on 15 January.
Learners returned to broken toilets and windows, overcrowded classrooms, and crumbling infrastructure, raising safety concerns.
The school relies on mobile classrooms and shared mobile toilets for both staff and learners. It also lacks a consistent water supply. Frustrated parents have called for the school’s closure, demanding urgent intervention to address “filthy conditions and unsafe infrastructure”, SowetanLIVE reported.
A School Governing Body (SGB) member, who chose to remain anonymous, emphasised the need for basic necessities like proper toilets and running water. “No learner should have to endure this,” they said, suggesting children might not return until February if conditions remain unchanged.
Ravern Martin, another SGB member, expressed concern over the impact on incoming students. “We might need to revert to rotational classes because some classrooms lack electricity, and others leak when it rains. Teaching in these conditions is impossible,” he said.
@TheStar_news
Angry parents have closed Kliptown Primary School, in Eldorado Park, over aging infrastructure and a shortage of classroom furniture. More than 800 children are not in class this morning due to the ongoing protest. Councilor speaks on how the department has failed. pic.twitter.com/OjqDQriXVy— SiyabongaG2 (@SiyabongaG2) January 16, 2025
The Citizen reported that, despite promises from education officials to address the collapsing structures before the new school year, no improvements have been made.
SGB member Avril Morris criticised the Department of Education for its inaction. “This has been ongoing since November. They assured us the school would be ready, but nothing has changed. These classrooms have been unfit for over a year,” she said.
Morris accused the department of neglecting public schools while prioritising private education for their children. “They’re playing with our kids’ lives. We need this school fixed,” she added, noting that the old asbestos classrooms remain in use, posing severe health risks.
Some parents have withdrawn their children from the school, unwilling to expose them to such unsafe conditions.
In November, the Department of Education pledged to provide furniture, install classrooms, and ensure toilets and running water were available by January. However, none of these commitments have been fulfilled, leaving over 700 Grade 1 to 7 learners to endure the dire circumstances.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
