/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape is saddened to learn of the passing of a learner from Lusikisiki Village Junior Secondary School yesterday, after a tree fell and instantly killed the learner.

Three learners from the school were playing outside during their break time when a tree fell on them. Two other learners were also badly injured and one had to have a finger amputated.

Lusikisiki Village JSS has for close to 20 years, requested Ingquza Hill Municipality to cut all 21 trees on the premises of the due to the danger they pose to learners.

The Municipality made promises but never attempted to assist the school with having the almost 60 meter-long trees cut. Ingquza Hill Municipality said it did not have a budget for cutting down trees.

The school has also made countless requests to the office of the MEC of Education to have the school relocated to another area. The preferred area was even identified by the school. The MEC’s office acknowledged the request but has made no effort to have the school moved.

The school is over-crowded, makes use of temporary classroom structures, and has very poor sanitation.

When local DA Councillors, Sithembiso Mabasa and Isaac Ndziba visited the school this morning, the principal was traumatised and not in the right state of mind to engage with anyone. See pictures attached here and here.

Asked if any officials from the Municipality or the Department of Education had made contact with the school or visited the school, the DA councillors were told that no contact had been made since the incident yesterday.

I have asked the DA Shadow MECs for Education and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs , Yusuf Cassim MPL and Vicky Knoetze MPL, to assist and take this matter up with the relevant MECs in the Bhisho legislature.

Next week I will be joined by Mr Cassim in conducting an oversight inspection at the school. We will also visit the families of the children involved in this ordeal.

The Eastern Cape Department of Education must prioritise our children and support our call to keep them safe. We send our children to school to obtain a matric certificate, but too often they are issued a death certificate.

The DA will continue fighting for our learners as we believe they have a right to safe and dignified learning environments.

Issued by The DA