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Pupils and teachers unite

DEFIANT: Roads into Khutsong township in North West remained blocked with rocks yesterday after a protest by pupils who are boycotting classes. Pic. Peter Mogaki. 19/04/07. © Sowetan.
DEFIANT: Roads into Khutsong township in North West remained blocked with rocks yesterday after a protest by pupils who are boycotting classes. Pic. Peter Mogaki. 19/04/07. © Sowetan.

Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

There will be no schooling in Khutsong until "the incorporation dispute" is resolved, SACP deputy chairman Jomo Mogale said yesterday.

Life in the troubled Khutsong township, near Carletonville, west of Johannesburg, has been marred by violent protests against the township's incorporation into North West.

Mogale said pupils and teachers from 14 schools in the area had decided to stay away from school this week .

"They say they will continue to boycott classes because the service delivery in North West is so poor," he said.

Though schools remained deserted, the situation was calm yesterday afternoon after a group of angry youths barricaded streets into the township.

It was reported the youths had thrown stones at the house of an ANC councillor and at vehicles bearing North West number plates.

Mogale said residents were determined to resist being incorporated into North West.

"We are sticking to the decision that we belong in Gauteng and will remain in Gauteng," he said.

Mogale said residents wanted the government to adhere to the decision taken at a public hearing at Carletonville Stadium in November 2005 when the majority of the people had made it clear they were not prepared to be transferred to North West. They should not be forced to do so now, he said.

He said it was impractical of the government to think that people would want to move from a province that had allocated their town a budget of R69million to a province that would provide it with only R19million.

Mogale said the residents' message was clear: "Let them develop North West and leave us in Gauteng."

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