The Gauteng Education Department has issued a directive urging schools across the province to engage in fundraising efforts to cover their utility bills, a move prompted by a severe month-long water crisis at Poseidon Road Primary School in Ennerdale.
Teaching and learning at the school were brought to a halt after the City of Johannesburg disconnected the water supply due to an outstanding debt exceeding R900,000. The disruption sparked outrage from parents, who protested at the school, citing serious health concerns. They reported that their children have begun contracting infections due to the complete lack of hygiene and sanitation facilities.
Departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that plans are underway to address the immediate crisis at the school. “We are in a process to facilitate that the school be assisted to settle the appeal with the municipality,” Mabona stated.
However, he emphasized the department’s official position, shifting significant responsibility onto the schools themselves. “We need to reiterate that the schools need to make sure that they pay their municipal services because as a department, we provide them with an allocation for them to do so,” he said.
Mabona outlined the expected protocol for schools facing budget shortfalls. “In the event schools do not have more money, they need to fundraise with the parents and make sure that necessary payments are made so that services are not cut off.”
As an interim measure to alleviate the health risks at Poseidon Road Primary, the department has been supplying the school with water tankers to fill its storage tanks. “We have been supplying the school with water… We will continue interimly to supply water. Make sure that those tanks are filled to capacity,” Mabona assured.
Looking forward, the spokesperson indicated that the School Governing Body (SGB) bears the primary responsibility for ensuring municipal accounts are settled. “On the other score, the SGB need to make sure that their municipal accounts are paid up to date. But we’ll be working with them very closely to make sure that that happens,” he concluded.
The situation highlights the ongoing struggle some schools face in managing their finances and infrastructure, with the health and education of learners caught in the balance.
