Northern Cape – Three schools have been burned down, 64 schools have closed and 16 000 pupils are unable to attend school.

Public violence around service delivery in the Northern Cape has brought education in the Johan Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, in which Kuruman is situated, to a halt.

Panyaza Lesufi, spokesman for the Department of Basic Education, said on Thursday: “The situation remains the same: 64 schools in the affected area remain closed. The 24 schools that were reopened outside the affected area”.

“I can confirm that a (neutral) religious leader is acting as a go-between and mediator between the protesters and the Department of Education. He is currently meeting with the protesters,” said Lesufi.

“Based on his feedback, the department will decide on whether it will be necessary to launch a full-blown to attempt to resolve the impasse,” said Lesufi.

Angie Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education, has been unable to visit the affected area due to “the high level of intimidation and disruptions”, said Lesufi, who had earlier called on police to step in and stabilise the situation to allow schools to re-open.

“These acts of vandalism (burning of schools) must be investigated and culprits be identified and appropriate action be taken by our law enforcement agencies,” said Lesufi.

“The majority of parents have asked us to re-open the schools. Once the situation has been stabilised the schools will be re-opened.”

Lesufi said the demands tabled by the protesters were not education-related. Residents have been protesting over the lack of tarred roads in the municipality.

The education department was focusing its support on matric pupils as there was a full recovery plan for pupils in the lower grades.

IFP spokesman Alfred Mpontshane said no matter how many camps or catch-up plans the education department had, children whose schooling was continually disrupted could not possibly be expected to achieve their potential.

Patrick Mabilo, the Northern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, said that more police officers and intelligence operatives would be deployed to the affected areas to resolve the problems.

“We cannot allow this anarchy to continue. We are sending in more law enforcement officers to all affected areas to restore calm… they must be relentless in their efforts to get to the masterminds who are behind the violence there,” Mabilo said.

A source in one of the troubled villages told sister newspaper the DFA police were afraid of arresting those responsible for violence because their families were being threatened.

Cape Argus