DA dissatisfied about conditions at Rehlahleng

GA MAMPURU

The Democratic Allianc (DA) in Limpopo said they are deeply concerned by the poor and inappropriate conditions learners are being exposed to at Rehlahleng Special School in Greater Fetakgomo-Tubatse. 

This was noted during an oversight inspection.

The school will cater for 148 learners this year up from the 88 in 2018, and due to a lack of space the school has turned away 22 learners since Monday the 13th of January 2020.

” The school only has two blocks of classrooms which were built by a nearby mine and these are insufficient. Fifty grade R learners are also being accommodated in a zinc container structure with no air conditioning. The school currently has inappropriate sanitation, no proper wall around the school and no showers, learners are forced to use plastic containers, DA’s Katlego Phala.

 She said in the 2018 Special school report submitted to the portfolio committee by the Office of the Premier the school was meant to get 10 posts that would be filled by the end of the 2018/19 year. These posts included a professional nurse, social worker, house parents, security guard and a cook.  To date only one post has been filled. 

Rehlahleng School is also in dire need of more teachers and assistants but may actually lose one more as the Department of Education is not renewing the educator’s contract.

Security is a major concern at the school as it was broken into and laptops were stolen last year.

A male intruder attempted to enter rooms where learners and those who volunteer as house mothers were sleeping in.

Phala said the   DA will write to Premier Stanley Mathabatha asking that he visits Rehlahleng Special School to witness the harsh conditions these vulnerable learners are faced with.