Activists to run Comrades Marathon to help rebuild Vuwani schools

“Myself and my colleague who is a child of public schooling in Limpopo once upon a time … will be running the Comrades Marathon in ten days time, with others, and aiming through that run to raise a million rand from our supporters, from corporates and individuals,” Heywood told reporters at the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) in Pretoria.

“We will pass that million rand to the NECT in order to meet the needs that are identified in this list of items needed to make the schools functional. We will be drawing attention to particular schools because we think that it’s important to build empathy and understanding, to twin rich, privileged schools with poorer schools.”

He said the civic society group would be appealing to other participants of the world famous marathon to contribute financially towards rebuilding the schools.

Heywood said the destruction to schools was “heartbreaking” because his organisation had previously worked with partners to upgrade the schooling infrastructure.

The NECT on Wednesday appealed for help from ordinary South Africans to help re-construct the Vuwani schools which were recently torched or severely damaged by irate, protesting community members.

“It’s important to mention that we are looking for contributions of any magnitude, from a rand to many millions. We’re inviting South Africans to come forward and lend a hand to the community of Vuwani. By so doing, we will be sending a very strong message that schools are important,” said NECT chief executive Godwin Khosa.

NECT has teamed up with the department of basic education, Section 27, Basic Education For All, the Helen Suzman Foundation and the Kagiso Trust in an effort to raise the funds.

“Within a few hours of making the call, the partners have been able to secure financial and in-kind contributions worth R1,4 million,” said Khosa.

“Since the protest started, learners have lost 10 percent of their schooling time in the first half of the year. If teaching and learning in Vuwani does not start immediately, learners face the prospect of losing a further 30 percent of the prescribed learning time.”

He said NECT and its partners were focused on the quickest resumption of classes in Vuwani, while the causes of disruptions would be probed and addressed by government and community structures.

Khosa said the long list of immediate requirements for Vuwani schools included building services and material for renovations of some classrooms that were not badly damaged, furniture for learners which included 3,000 chairs and desks, office administration and teaching equipment inclusive of almost 400 teachers’ chairs and tables, 126 computers “that may have been burnt during the destruction”, 24 projectors and screens, 26 photocopying machines, 45 printers, 119 cabinets, 50 bookshelves, as well as Tshivenda and Xitsonga readers.

The schools also required textbooks, study guides, stationery supplies and supplementary teaching programmes for 58 primary and 28 secondary schools.

Basic education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said because of the destruction, “things are not going to be the same, and for a very long time”.

“We spoke to many learners in that area and they have expressed anger at what is taking place. They want to go back to school but some schools have been completely gutted, where there is nothing left. We have a lot of work to do, a lot of rebuilding needs to take place,” said Mhlanga.

“We are encouraged by the show of dedication by members of the community who rallied around the schools, came to the schools and assisted in the cleaning up. The learners also came through and assisted in the cleaning up as well. That shows that the learners and the community are really serious about education.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the Limpopo department of education said the process of procuring furniture and stationery for more than 20 schools burned down during municipal demarcation disputes was at an advanced stage.

At least 74 mobile classrooms were expected and would accommodate some 60,000 pupils, while government begins rebuilding the destroyed schools.

However, an official said because the affected schools did not yet have food and furniture, pupils were being sent back home.

Another factor that was delaying the resumption of classes, was continued intimidation of teachers and pupils by some community members.

Vuwani remains calm but tense with the presence of riot police evident. Police are escorting the trucks that are delivering mobile classrooms.

Unrest in the area began at the end of April after the High Court ruled against the community’s bid to stop the Municipal Demarcation Board from incorporating their villages into the new Malamulele Municipality.

At least 20 schools were burned to the ground in the ensuing violence that accompanied protests in the area.

Community leaders have since decided to appeal the court’s ruling, but if this failed the disputed area would be incorporated into Malamulele before the 3 August 2016 local government elections.