By KEDIBONE MOLATSI
18 January 2026- The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Witzenberg said it strongly condemns the ‘irresponsible’ and ‘dangerous’ conduct of an ANC public representative in Witzenberg, who on Friday, deliberately incited members of the Nduli community to stage a protest, directly placing the lives and safety of learners from Vredebes at risk. The DA said this incident occurred while children were en route to school, using scholar transport and resulted in heightened racial tensions and a scuffle between members of the Vredebes and Nduli communities.
The DA Constituency Head in Witzenberg, Wendy Kaizer-Philander said at no point should political opportunism be allowed to compromise the constitutional rights of children — particularly their right to safety and access to education. Kaizer-Philander said this escalation follows a sustained and misleading narrative advanced by the ANC, which has sought to politicise school infrastructure development in Witzenberg and deliberately distort the facts surrounding the proposed primary school in Vredebes.
“The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has been clear. The new school will serve the broader community, including learners from both Vredebes and Nduli. IsiXhosa will be offered as a Language of Teaching and Learning at the school. While construction is phased, the WCED has committed to urgent assessments and interim interventions to address immediate needs at Nduli Primary School.
“Despite these facts, the ANC has persisted in inflaming community anxieties, redirecting legitimate concerns into political mobilisation, and — most alarmingly — allowing this conduct to escalate into actions that endangered children,” she said.
Kaizer-Philander further said education is not a political bargaining chip, and children are not instruments of political agitation. He added that public representatives are entrusted with a duty to act transparently, honestly and in the best interests of the community.
“Inciting unrest, misrepresenting facts and placing anyone in harm’s way is a fundamental betrayal of that responsibility. The DA further calls on the SAPS to fulfil its constitutional mandate to serve and protect. The safety of learners must be prioritised, and any acts of incitement, intimidation or public disorder must be properly investigated and addressed without fear or favour.
“We call on all residents, who witnessed the incitement or intimidation of learners, to report it to the police. Parents are urged to remain calm, to rely on verified information, and not to allow their children’s futures to be jeopardised by reckless political behaviour,” said Kaizer-Philander.
He said they remain unwavering in its support for the WCED and will continue to work constructively to ensure that every child has access to safe, inclusive and quality education.
The Guardian 