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DANGEROUS: One of the classrooms with no windows at the dilapidated Ndlovu Primary School in Limpopo. Inspectors of the provincial department of labour closed six classrooms at the school. PHOTO: Elijah Mushwana

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Inspectors from the provincial department of labour on Monday ordered a six-classroom building at Ndlovu Primary School at GaLedwaba village in Lebowakgomo to closed.

The inspectors immediately closed the building, saying they feared for the safety of both pupils and teachers.

The school, which has eight teachers, has 185 pupils between grades R and seven.

According to education authorities, the structure was built in 1960 and no renovations or improvements had ever taken place.

The school's roof looks like it will curve in any time, with cracks visible from a distance. Most of the windows are broken and the floors are pock-marked and cracked.

The pupils say snakes and other creepy creatures are also an ever-present danger .

The department of labour's Johannes Mokou said they had realised that the building posed a real danger to both pupils and teachers. He said it was not suitable for human habitation and could cause injuries or death.

Mokou said the school building did not comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The school still has the use of two classrooms in another building which now has to accommodate all the pupils.

Paulina Ledwaba, chairwoman of the governing body, said they had informed the provincial department of education "on several occasions about the dangerous conditions at the school, but we have not received any positive response".

"We have requested land from local authorities so that another building can be erected," Ledwaba said.

She said the closure of the building would not affect year-end examinations.

Provincial education department spokesman Pat Kgomo said: "We acknowledge that the school is very old. We are working on an immediate plan to make sure pupils and teachers are safe.

"We also call upon the private sector to join us in providing better and safer schools."

- frankm@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Wed Jun 19 18:05:58 SAST 2013 ::

Nov 1, 2012

2shy2call

Yaa will take them to Nkandla
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Nov 1, 2012

warry

Hell sh*t take them to R16m mansion in sandton. That's what u get when you defend criminals.
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Nov 1, 2012

Chichi7

And our hard earned money continues to be taxed so that 2 billion is spent in 6 months for irregular expenditure and 4.1 billion spent on entertainment whilst a further 203 million of Zumaville which boasts a helipad whilst schools have no windows, roofs curving in, homes using bucket system and some with no running water.
And we have the odesity to blame foreigners in this country and yet the people in Govt doing this to us are out own people.
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Nov 1, 2012

Chichi7

And our hard earned money continues to be taxed so that 2 billion is spent in 6 months for irregular expenditure and 4.1 billion spent on entertainment whilst a further 203 million of Zumaville which boasts a helipad whilst schools have no windows, roofs curving in, homes using bucket system and some with no running water.
And we have the audacity to blame foreigners in this country and yet the people in Govt doing this to us are our own people.
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Nov 1, 2012

MommaC

"We also call upon the private sector to join us in providing better and safer schools."

WE ALREADY DO. Its called TAXES.

I went to a school which was built in 1910 and the blerrie place was fine. Not a broken window or a sagging roof in sight. Why? Because they did maintenance on a regular basis. Now you are going to pay 100 times the amount of money instead of just looking after the building.

What exactly does the education department in Limpopo do?
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Nov 1, 2012

sweetlady1st

Eish this is sad, No 1 deserves this those kids nid to gt education in a good condition.
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Nov 1, 2012

zonduglamour

its just a big shame that the children of public servants do not use public services

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Nov 1, 2012

Nongoloza24

And yet R200 million is spend on improving someone's security ja neh.
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Nov 1, 2012

MmaSeshego

did the department call on the public sector whe they were busy looting money like the world is about to end????
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Nov 1, 2012

BloodieAgent

heads must roll in the Education dept.! please leave the private sector out of the kaka!
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