Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi

Students in Khutsong near Carletonville have remained defiant that they will not go back to school until the demarcation issue is resolved.

Despite reports that schools would be back to normal yesterday, schooling did not resume.

Pupils said the North West province would not be able to cater for their schooling needs because it is one of the country's poorest provinces.

The few pupils who went to school yesterday had to return home without attending classes.

"We were prepared but nothing happened," said one pupil, who wanted to remain anonymous.

"We spent two hours in class but teachers did not come," he said.

He said he had heard on the radio that they should go back to school yesterday.

Lerm Caesar Temane, local chairman of the South African Democratic Teachers Union, said there was nothing teachers could do to normalise the situation in the township.

"We are frustrated as teachers because now the focus is on us and pupils," Temane said.

"The issue is about demarcation, which is a communal issue and not an educational issue."