Lubhalwe nguPalesa Matlala
Abafundi baseSoweto babhekene namagumbi okufundela aminyene nezinsiza ezintulayo njengoba kuvalwe izikole ezingu-16, nokuphoqe abaningi ukuthi basheshe bayeke esikoleni.
Othisha badonsa kanzima ngenxa yengcindezi nokutubeka njengoba uMnyango wezeMfundo e-Gauteng uthembisa ukuvula izikole ezivaliwe ngo-2026 ngenxa yokubambezeleka kwezinto.
Zibalelwa ku-16 izikole ezivaliwe eSoweto, nokuphoqe othisha abaningi ukuthi basheshe bathathe umhlalaphansi nabafundi bashiye phakathi.
Yize bengu-715 000 abafundi asebebhalisele izivivinyo zalo nyaka, babalelwa ku-450 000 asebephumile kusukela beqale uGrade 1 ngo-2014.
Omunye wabo nguSibusiso Mazibuko oneminyaka engu-18. Ushiye isikole ngoNdasa ka-2025 ephinda uGrade 10.
“Ngangivuka ngo-5 ekuseni ukuze ngisheshe ngifike esikoleni ukuze ngithole indawo yokuhlala,” usho kanje. “Besingu-57 ekilasini elilodwa, futhi uthisha wethu omncane wayengakwazi ukusilawula. Uma uhlezi ngaphambili, wawuthola ukunakwa okwengeziwe.
UNgqongqoshe wezeMfundo e-Gauteng uMatome Chiloane ukuqinisekisile ukuthi umnyango uyazi ngezikole ezingu-16 ezivaliwe eSoweto. Uthe bahlela ukuzivula kabusha ekupheleni kuka-2026.
UChiloane uthe ukugcwala ngokweqile kwamakilasi kuseyinselelo enkulu ngenxa yokusilela emuva kwengqalasizinda. Umnyango uhlela ukusheshisa izinhlelo zokwakhiwa kwezikole.
“Maningi amaphrojekthi awakaqedwa ngenxa yokungasebenzi kahle kanye nosonkontileka abangasebenzi,” usho kanje.
Uqhube wathi zingu-18 izikole ezakhiwa ngaphakathi ngoxhaso oluvela kuMgcinimafa kazwelonke.
IDemocratic Alliance ithe okungenani zingu-41 izikole zikahulumeni ezivaliwe ngenxa yezakhiwo ezingaphephile nokungahleli kahle komnyango.
Uthisha waseNoordgesig Secondary School uthe uhlela ukuthatha umhlalaphansi ngaphambi kwesikhathi. “Impilo yami yengqondo iyawohloka,” kusho yena. “Sengingeniswe kabili e-Akeso kulo nyaka ngenxa yezimpi, ukugcwala nokulova. Abafundi babanga izihlalo namatafula amakilasi ethu ayiphupho elibi.”
Osesithombeni esingenhla: UNgqongqoshe uMatome Chiloane.
Umthombo wesithombe: @matomekopano