The Mtunzi Tsolekile Public School in East London has still not recovered from its major electrical setback last year.
The school is described as being underprivileged, underfunded and a major target for criminals.
Situated in the Zozo location in Kwelerha, the school has been stuck in darkness for almost a year as criminals have broken into most of their classes, stealing electrical wiring.
Algoa FM News took a tour through the school on Tuesday where Principal Ngakubani Jeffrey Madolo expressed his deep sadness about the struggles they are facing as a non-fee government school, situated in a rural village with an underprivileged community.
Having no electricity is the most pressing issue at the moment as criminals have started gaining access through the roof to steal equipment.
Madolo said this is not the first time they have been targeted by criminals, who stole about 20 computers a few years ago that were funded by parents.
To date, not a single arrest has been effected.
“I am very worried about the progress of our school. Every time we attempt to move forward in our development these criminals rob our children of a better education,” Principal Madolo expressed.
He further said the R2 000 budget for maintenance they get from the Department of Education is barely enough for general maintenance.
He said when he was told he should use that money for new electrical wiring, he knew it would mean many more years in the dark.
Commenting from the Eastern Cape Investment Conference on Wednesday, Education MEC Fundile Gade said that hope was on the horizon for almost 240 schools in the Eastern Cape.
The MEC said the Department of Education started a programme earlier this month to renovate 120 schools in the province, the maximum being 240.
Gade could not specify whether or not Mtunzi Tsolekile would be part of the schools getting a facelift, but assured the Department that they were invested in creating conducive environments in schools with a budget of “no less than R1 million per school.”
With electrical vandalism at its most high in the Buffalo City Metro, BCM Spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya has condemned this thieving behaviour as disgusting as it deprives people of basic services.
He said electrical vandalism is an issue the whole country is dealing with, as scrapyard dealerships reward this behaviour, making it easy for thieves to profit.
Principal Madolo said he hoped that the Department would at least
provide them with non-teaching staff to guard their school against thieves so that they may see progress in their institution.
He also hoped that they would transport water to the schools as they resort to using tank water.
