By Sinesipho Habana
The situation at Hendrik Kanise Combined School in Alicedale has reached a critical point, with the ageing infrastructure now unsafe for educational activities. Parents, teachers, and community leaders have expressed their deep concern for the safety of the pupils, particularly as reports of structural damage have surfaced. The school, which has historically excelled in academic performance, now faces the threat of losing its reputation due to the deteriorating conditions.
The long-awaited construction of the school has yet to commence, nearly a decade after the Eastern Cape Department of Education allocated approximately R150 million for the project. The existing building has been flagged for collapse, posing a serious risk to students and staff. Frustration boiled over this week as protests erupted from Monday to Wednesday when parents and community members closed the school, sending students and teachers home. They are demanding accountability for the delays.
Dozens of parents gathered outside the school gates, chanting slogans and holding placards demanding immediate action from the Eastern Cape Department of Education and the Coega Development Corporation. Community leaders have expressed their frustration over the lack of transparency regarding the funds.
“We want to know where the money has gone and why there has been no progress. This school was supposed to be built 10 years ago, but no one seems to care. The community is frustrated. Our community and children deserve better,” said Khayalethu Nyamakazi.
Among the protesters were representatives from the school’s Council of Learners. “We stand with our parents because this fight is for our safety,” said RCL President Anele Mboyi. However, they also expressed concerns about the impact of the situation on their education, urging the Department of Education to provide immediate solutions. “We don’t want our studies to suffer. We need a safe place to learn,” Mboyi added.
In a bold move, parents have vowed to lock the school premises until they see tangible evidence that their children will be safe. “We will not budge until action is taken,” declared Zanemvula Ntoyanto, the chairperson of the projects steering committee. While the school closure will disrupt education, many parents believe it is a necessary step to ensure their children’s well-being.
On Wednesday, Department of Education officials arrived to address the concerned community members. The delegation, led by Mandisi Matyolo, the Circuit Management Centre Head based in Makhanda (CME Head), met with parents and local leaders.
“We, as the DOE, hired the Coega Development Corporation as our implementing agency because we do not have the skills to do this,” Mbuyiselo Mayase, DOE Circuit Manager for Makana 1, said, emphasising the DDOE’s commitment to resolving the matter.
Emotions ran high during the meeting, with one furious mother cutting through the tension: “Do you want us to bring our children to this school cemetery?” another parent, Vuyokazi Ncula, pleaded: “We didn’t bring our children to this school to die; so please fix this before it is too late, because no one knows when the building will collapse, and we can’t afford to lose our children.”
When Mayase told the parents that Zanele Nxumalo, the person in charge of the project at the Coega Development Corporation, had said that there was no possibility of speeding up the process, the parents took matters into their own hands. They closed the school gates, demanding that officials immediately contact Nxumalo to clarify when the long-promised construction would begin.
After a tense phone call, the feedback was that construction is slated to begin in June. However, this announcement did little to ease the parents’ frustrations. “We will keep on protesting and lock the learners outside of the school premises until the government ensures the safety of our children,” Kholeka Ndlaleni said.
The Deputy Director of Education, Hendrik Niemann from Graaff-Reinet, who deals with infrastructure, is committed to addressing the immediate safety concerns. He promised to erect a safety barrier around the collapsing building to prevent children from accessing it. He assured the community that he would have concrete answers by today (Friday, 28 March). This pledge has given some parents a glimmer of hope, but many remain sceptical, insisting that they will continue their protest until they see real action.
