"Shame on Debbie for Closing Uitsig High School"

4 October 2017

SADTU in the Western Cape is deeply concerned that the MEC for Education, Debbie Schafer has decided to close Uitsig High School.

For a number of years, the Western Cape DA government had systematically made a number of illegal attempts to close the school. These included encouraging learners to enroll at neighbouring schools and redeploying teachers to other schools. This led the workers and community taking the MEC to the High Court earlier this year to stop the premature closure.

Further, the WCED dumped Uitsig High School and left it to become dilapidated and limited attempts were made to either repair the school or build a new school.

We are questioning the consultative process of the officials of the WCED and question whether the provision of Section 33 of the South African Schools Act was followed. The union is disturbed that MEC Schafer did not give consideration to volatile safety concerns in the Uitsig and surrounding areas.

We have noted with concern that the DA led Education department has for a number of years, been targeting schools of the working class schools for closure. This shows Helen Zille's DA government, posture towards the working class and the poor in the Western Cape.

We are considering our options, legal and others to address this burning issue.

Issued: SADTU Western Cape

Jonavon Rustin 0836335714
Sibongile Kwazi 0836278006