R100m needed to fix looted schools in KZN

The department’s acting director-general Dr Barney Mthembu told Parliament’s basic education committee on Tuesday that 144 schools were affected during last month’s unrest.

“Before schools reopened, the department received information about vandalisation of schools and offices. Schools and education centres looted and vandalized, and this led to costly damages at a time where budget cuts have created financial challenges.

“Reports have been received from all affected education districts in KZN and some indicated minor damages whilst others indicate major ones.

“Schools reported 137 schools to district offices. Provincial and districts works inspectors undertook a physical verification process and ended up with 144 schools, the province has costed the damage and found that there are 130 schools with repairs which will cost less than R 500 000,” said Mthembu.

He told MPs the other 14 schools will cost more than R500 000 to repair.

“In all the affected establishments the cost of damage is estimated to be R100 million. A costed damage report showed that in some of the schools the damage can be repaired in a short period of time and in some of them it can be a matter of a year.

“The damages did not stop the reopening of schools in the province and some of the schools were provided with mobile classrooms.”

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