Tensions  ran high as the leaders from the East Cape disability community yesterday were dispersed by police who were ending a three-hour protest at the troubled Vukuhambe Special School in Mdantsane.
Close to 50 leaders and members of Deaf SA, Epilepsy SA, the SA National Council for the Blind, Disabled People South Africa (DPSA) and the Eastern Cape Disability Economic Empowerment Trust (ECDEET) yesterday morning entered the school while pupils and staff were inside, and locked the gates behind them with a chain and padlock.
The members, who formed a human chain by linking their arms, stood behind the locked gates and vowed only to open the gates for education MEC Mandla Makupula or the superintended-general, Themba Kojana, whom they expect to bring solutions to the failure of the state to pay staff overtime since 2008.
Speaking to the Dispatch behind the locked school gates around mid-day, ECDEET CEO Thabiso Phetuka described the actions by the disability community as a “coup”.
“We have taken over the school and instructed the principal to call the MEC and inform him that we will only relinquish the school once MEC or the SG arrives,” said Phetuka.
Their peaceful protest came to an end when 12 armed police, some wearing bulletproof vests, arrived and threatened the protestors with arrest for holding those inside hostage. DPSA manager Mncedisi Nkota, who is disabled, said he would shed his blood for children who are neglected at the school.
“Where are the police when these children are left unattended on weekends? In fact since you are here we would like to open a case of abuse of these children,” said Nkota.
Police broke the chain with a bolt cutter and shoved the gates open, forcing aside the protesters.
The situation was defused when education department representatives arrived at the school.
The actions by the disabled community comes after the Dispatch reported on the crisis facing special needs schools last week and on Tuesday...