BCM cops remove shacks from playing field.
LAW enforcement officers clashed with hundreds of Ilitha township residents yesterday when the metro’s cops demolished shacks built on school grounds.
Their action comes less than a month after Buffalo City mayor Zukiswa Ncitha suggested that school playing fields could be used to build temporary homes for people.
Last month Ncitha’s proposal to build shacks on school grounds was sent to the education department, who confirmed they were considering it.
But a number of school principals and parents were deeply concerned about the idea, saying it could cause chaos.
The acting director at the Rubusana district education offices in Mdantsane, Sihle Mnguni, however, said they had identified schools where homes for the homeless could be built.
Mnguni said the department was considering the municipal proposal, but needed to be sure that only school land that was not being used would be involved.
Ncitha said her plan was to put up temporary structures and even fence off the area from the school grounds.
“Our plan is to erect these temporary structures in the unutilised land because we identified that these schools have big yards and the structures will not by any chance affect learning.”
Sithembiso school principal Lunga Gxolo said the land the municipality wanted to use was meant to be a sports field.
However, due to financial challenges, they could not use the land for sports.
“We have not been consulted about this. We just heard about it from around the community.
“I am not sure how they plan to make it work but I don’t see it working out,” Gxolo said.
About 560 houses are planned for the Linge community and some of the houses are expected to be finished by December.
Ncitha said it was up to the community to decide if they were comfortable with the schools plan, adding that if the community did not want it BCM would have to find an alternative space for the homeless. — mame lag@dispatch.co.za
Not in our school yard!
LAW enforcement officers clashed with hundreds of Ilitha township residents yesterday when the metro’s cops demolished shacks built on school grounds.
Their action comes less than a month after Buffalo City mayor Zukiswa Ncitha suggested that school playing fields could be used to build temporary homes for people.
Last month Ncitha’s proposal to build shacks on school grounds was sent to the education department, who confirmed they were considering it.
But a number of school principals and parents were deeply concerned about the idea, saying it could cause chaos.
The acting director at the Rubusana district education offices in Mdantsane, Sihle Mnguni, however, said they had identified schools where homes for the homeless could be built.
Mnguni said the department was considering the municipal proposal, but needed to be sure that only school land that was not being used would be involved.
Ncitha said her plan was to put up temporary structures and even fence off the area from the school grounds.
“Our plan is to erect these temporary structures in the unutilised land because we identified that these schools have big yards and the structures will not by any chance affect learning.”
Sithembiso school principal Lunga Gxolo said the land the municipality wanted to use was meant to be a sports field.
However, due to financial challenges, they could not use the land for sports.
“We have not been consulted about this. We just heard about it from around the community.
“I am not sure how they plan to make it work but I don’t see it working out,” Gxolo said.
About 560 houses are planned for the Linge community and some of the houses are expected to be finished by December.
Ncitha said it was up to the community to decide if they were comfortable with the schools plan, adding that if the community did not want it BCM would have to find an alternative space for the homeless. — mame lag@dispatch.co.za
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