RISE Mzansi has pleaded with President Cyril Ramaphosa to prioritise school safety.
With close to 12 million pupils across Mzansi starting the 2024 schooling year on Wednesday, 17 January, the party said while this will be an exciting time for many, it will be an equally distressing time for others who will return to or start at schools that are unsafe and therefore simply are not suitable for learning and teaching.
“Rise Mzansi is therefore calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to prioritise school safety in his State of the Nation Address (Sona),” said National Leadership Collective member, Irfaan Mangera on Tuesday, 16 January.
Mangera said schools have become places for gangs and they mirror the worst parts of our society.
“They are not places of learning and safety. According to SAPS data, from January to September 2023, there were 27 murders, 59 attempted murders, 707 assaults and shockingly 229 rapes at educational facilities, contributing to the increase in pregnancies and dropout rate for adolescent girls. This is not the South Africa we deserve,” said Mangera.
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He said that over 10% (approximately 3 000) of South Africa's nearly 25 000 schools still use pit latrines, jeopardising the lives and dignity of pupils and teachers.
He pointed out that Rise Mzansi was not asking Ramaphosa for a new plan but to give full political and budgetary effect to the National School Safety Framework and the Schools Act.
Mangera said through a petition, which will be delivered to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) ahead of the President’s last Sona in parliament, Rise Mzansi calls on South Africans to lend their support and solidarity to making schools safe spaces for children and learning.
Mangera said: “We also encourage school governing bodies (SGBs) and civic groups to work with us in ensuring the safety and dignity of our learners takes precedence in our day-to-day affairs, and to ensure we protect, care and provide the necessary support for effective monitoring of our schools and the millions of learners who are enrolled within them. A safe, prosperous, equal, and united South Africa for learners is possible.”
