Community protests in Kanyamazane in the Mbombela Local Municipality have disrupted schooling for the past two days, the Mpumalanga Department of Education said on Tuesday.

Department spokesperson Jasper Zwane said eight primary and five secondary schools have been affected, particularly Grade 12 learners who were expected to prepare for the preliminary as well as the final examinations.

“Equally concerning are content gaps that will be created in the lower grades which learners will carry through their schooling to affect them negatively in future. We appeal to all community members to do something so that the adverse effects may be averted,” said Zwane.

The Grade 12 preliminary examination is scheduled to start on 28 August.

Zwane said if the protest continues, learners will not be prepared for the examination and may find it hard to cover for the lost time.

“The Department is making an appeal to the community of Kanyamazane to consider the plight of the learners and request that efforts are made to ensure that learners and teachers attend classes without any disruption.”

Residents have staged violent protests claiming that local government has failed to provide them with assistance to effect repairs to homes following a damaging hailstorm in May this year.