My story about Winnie Mandela vising Polonia Primary School in Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria

Madikizela Mandela visits local school.

 

Trevor Hlungwani

Winnie Madikizela Mandela paid a surprise visit to Polonia Primary School in Ga-Rankuwa on Thursday. The purpose of her visit was about the sanitary situation in the school. The unhygienic conditions of the blocked toilets which have been blocked for two years have left a breeding space for worms.

Madikizela-Mandela is currently the Chairperson of a task team chosen by Minister of Human Settlement, Tokyo Sexwale, to oversee sanitation in various local schools around the country.

Nomonde Botwana from The National Association of school governing bodies called Madikizela-Mandela’s office and alerted them about the unhygienic state of the school which does not have proper flushing toilets. Learners are still using the pit system toilet which is not safe for them. “I was very disappointed to see our children sitting on top of worms, which pose health hazards to them,” said Botwana.

Madikizela Mandela said she is disappointed on how the government, which people have voted for, has neglected their responsibilities.She further said that the government should prioritise the foundation phase because that is where we get to discover our future leaders. “It is a shame that 19 years after democracy, people are still suffering in a way like this” she said.

Madikizela further said that it’s surprising that Ga-Rankuwa is close to Pretoria where the Department of Human Settlement is located but still they are not given much attention. The Chairperson was joined by former Public Works Minister, Gwen Mahlangu-Nkambinde who is Madikizela-Mandela’s deputy in the portfolio. Mahlangu-Nkambinde expressed her disappointment in the government. “It’s a fact that the government budgeted money for infrastructural development but none is being used for its rightful purpose.” Said Mahlangu-Nkambinde.

Victor Molewa, the principal of Polonia said that they have struggled with the Department of Education for their help with the toilet problem but they have since dragged their legs.  The principal further said that flushing toilet were built in 1997 but couldn’t function properly  because fans that were supposed to be used for drying up faeces were stolen. He said the current toilets pose a health risk to learners.

“We just hope her visit will produce a good outcome because every time we asked the DOE for help they only brought mobile toilets which are not good enough for our learners,” said Molewa.The chairperson of the school governing body, Benjamin Kgatse, also singled out how the toilets are dilapidated which is not safe for human use.” We thought that the new dispensation and the transition to democracy will bring good lives for all but surely nothing has changed,” said the disappointed Kgatse.