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The DA calls on both MECs for Education and Community Safety, Panyaza Lesufi and Sizakele Nkosi- Malobane to urgently investigate the allegations of the use of live ammunition by police against the protesting learners at Thuto-Kitso Technical School in Fochville this week.

The DA strongly condemns these allegations and if the MECs fail to investigate, the DA will call on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to do so.

The learners were protesting due to a lack of technical teachers at the school since the beginning of the year.

For far too long, the learners have been complaining to the department demanding that technical teachers must be recruited, however their plea received no response.

The learners resorted to a protest as they believed that this was the only way to ensure that their voices were heard.

It is disturbing to learn that the district official called the police to the school to assist and that the police used both live ammunition and rubber bullets against the protesting learners.

It is alleged that one learner was injured during the protest and was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

Learners have the right to education which includes access to teachers in all subjects. The Gauteng Department of Education is denying our learners their basic right to education by failing to recruit technical teachers at this school.

The DA will also be tabling questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature to ascertain why the Department has not yet recruited technical teachers for this school and when will they be recruiting.

Come 2019, learners across the province will experience Change; the DA will ensure safe learning environments which prioritize a learner's right to education.

Issued by DA