AN EAST London school principal is worried about the safety of pupils with the establishment of a temporary taxi rank, waste around the school and dagga found on its premises.
The principal of College Street Primary School, Len Cloete, said the issues compromised the safety of the children.
Cloete said since Gillwell taxi rank closed last year for a new shopping mall under construction, taxis had been parking in front of the school.
“The taxi drivers litter in front of the school and take up all the parking, which makes it difficult for parents to drop off or pick up their children,” he said.
Cloete said the situation had worsened the illegal dumping of waste that already existed at the school.
“About eight spaza shops surround the school and they all dump their waste around the school fence.
“I have tried talking to the shop owners but they just continue dumping on a daily basis.”
Drug dealing has also affected the school, with dagga found stashed in the school yard.
“During our renovations, we found two bags of dagga hidden in the roof gutter,” said Cloete.
The school is situated in Albany and College streets, an area declared a hotspot for drug dealing by the police.
The public relations officer at the East London Taxi Association, Wandile Bukani, said they had permission from the traffic department for their members to park their taxis in College Street for the duration of the construction of the new mall.
“We have not turned the place into a rank. All we do is park there until we are alerted by taxi marshals to go to the next pick-up point,” said Bukani.
He said he would address the members about the littering complaints.
Education department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said it remained a major concern when pupils were exposed to a less than conducive environment.
“This will definitely have a detrimental effect on their capacity to focus. We call on the school’s management to urgently take up the matter with municipality and insist in the enforcement of the legislated bylaws,” said Pulumani. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
Taxis, drugs darken EL school days
The principal of College Street Primary School, Len Cloete, said the issues compromised the safety of the children.
Cloete said since Gillwell taxi rank closed last year for a new shopping mall under construction, taxis had been parking in front of the school.
“The taxi drivers litter in front of the school and take up all the parking, which makes it difficult for parents to drop off or pick up their children,” he said.
Cloete said the situation had worsened the illegal dumping of waste that already existed at the school.
“About eight spaza shops surround the school and they all dump their waste around the school fence.
“I have tried talking to the shop owners but they just continue dumping on a daily basis.”
Drug dealing has also affected the school, with dagga found stashed in the school yard.
“During our renovations, we found two bags of dagga hidden in the roof gutter,” said Cloete.
The school is situated in Albany and College streets, an area declared a hotspot for drug dealing by the police.
The public relations officer at the East London Taxi Association, Wandile Bukani, said they had permission from the traffic department for their members to park their taxis in College Street for the duration of the construction of the new mall.
“We have not turned the place into a rank. All we do is park there until we are alerted by taxi marshals to go to the next pick-up point,” said Bukani.
He said he would address the members about the littering complaints.
Education department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said it remained a major concern when pupils were exposed to a less than conducive environment.
“This will definitely have a detrimental effect on their capacity to focus. We call on the school’s management to urgently take up the matter with municipality and insist in the enforcement of the legislated bylaws,” said Pulumani. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
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