Schooling has been disrupted at two high schools in Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg.
On Monday morning police used rubber bullets and teargas to disperse a group of angry pupils from Fred-Norman and Oakdale secondary schools who were joined by community members. The group had barricaded James Street, the main road to Ennerdale.
School governing body (SGB) member Wendy Mntambo said the shutdown came after the Gauteng department of education ignored their pleas to have infrastructure fixed at Oakdale Secondary School.
"Four classes have no roofing after it was blown away by a storm last year. The 16 mobile classes are not conducive for learning. We are not fighting with anyone but the police decided to use rubber bullets on these innocent kids," Mntambo said.
One mobile classroom has been burnt down and three people including a councillor have been arrested.
This is the situation at Oakdale Secondary in #Ennerdale. The school has been waiting since last year for a new a roof which spans across four classrooms. Parents who can’t afford to move their children elsewhere say they are certainly a forgotten community. @OpenNewsSA pic.twitter.com/z9NXKH2y92
— Rianté Padayachee (@RianteP) April 15, 2019
#Ennerdale residents are angry with police. They’re questioning them as to why they fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at the community. Police spokesperson, Kay Makhubela says it was because protestors blocked an intersection and threw rocks and bottles at them. @OpenNewsSA pic.twitter.com/1xWSQsS9F7
— Rianté Padayachee (@RianteP) April 15, 2019
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