Officials don’t have a clue about residents challenges: #AlexTotalShutdown

#AlexTotalShutdown leader Sandile Mavundla said MEC Lebogang Maile’s representation of the township was inaccurate, as was Panyaza Lesufi’s portrayal of schools.
Despite interventions from various government departments who have collaborated to find solutions to the daily challenges that Alexandra residents face, #AlexTotalShutdown said that officials do not have any idea of the bigger picture.

Speaking on Wednesday at the Braamfontein offices of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) after proceedings, Sandile Mavundla #AlexTotalShutdown leader said: “It is either most of the leaders have no idea what is going on, they are downplaying it or they are trying to protect themselves.”

Mavundla was making reference to Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s submissions on the schooling system of pupils in Alexandra.

“Although there have been eight days interrupted in total by the service delivery protests, there has always been a 97 percent attendance at our schools despite the socio-economic factors at play, we as the department pride ourselves on the conduct and results of the learners,” Lesufi said. However, Mavundla argued that the conduct of the pupils was not as exceptional as the MEC painted it.

“Even if you go past the schools between 8am and 12pm, learners can be seen gallivanting in the area. It is a norm. There are always brutal fights and mischievous behaviour that learners have obviously learned from these protests,” he said.

He said that Gauteng human settlements MEC Lebogang Maile’s representation of the township was inaccurate. “The MEC say there are no issues. But there is sewage all over, police hardly respond tour calls. This is basic service delivery,” he said. Maile told the inquiry on Tuesday that there was progressive development.

“I grew up in Alexandra. Someone who arrived in Alexandra five years ago will say there is no development, but those who have been there for years will tell you that there is development there and there,” he said.

The Alexandra Inquiry was established after 80 illegal structures were demolished in Alexandra in April. The homes had been unlawfully built near Marlboro, close to the Gautrain rail bridge.

Deputy Cooperative Governance Minister Obed Bapela said in 2014 the population was 300,000 and it had increased to more than 600,000.

“We want to regain the former pride of Alexandra for the original settlers. They have been patient and it is high time something is done,” he said.

Earlier, Lesufi testified that service delivery protests affected schooling.

“The impact of service delivery protests affects schooling big time. Most teachers come from outside the township and during a protest, they can’t come into the township. We have recorded a total of eight school days disrupted. You can imagine the effect it had on the education system. Even though we have recovery programs in place to assist learners, it is still a setback,” said Lesufi.

Despite the socio-economic factors that were at play in Alexandra, Lesufi lauded the learners for their exceptional academic results. He said Alexandra pupils are one of the top achievers in the Gauteng district.

“There are currently 19 schools in the township. Eighteen are public schools and one is independent. In that 18, 12 are primary and six are secondary schools. We had 84 distinctions in 2015 and 153 last year so the number has almost doubled. What encourages us as the department is the number of passes that come from Alexandra.”

He also said that pupils were not forced to attend schools in Alexandra but were allowed to attend neighbouring schools in Lyndhurst, Bramley and Sandton.

“We’ve given them a broader choice and liberated them from the shackles of apartheid to ensure bright futures for our kids,” he said.

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Source: The Citizen