Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has lashed out at Katlehong residents  following the torching of a school during a service delivery protest in the area.

A school was set alight today in Katlehong’s Moleleki Extension during a protest over power cuts.

“We’ve requested the police to investigate the cause….We can’t tolerate this. Our stand point is very clear, if the community is really involved in this, we are not going to fix the school. ..We are consistent. We’ve done this before. Go to Orlando High, parents and learners vandalized the school we told them to fix it. Today if you go to Orlando High, the school is fixed by parents and learners. It is a continuation of our standpoint,” Lesufi said.

Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesperson William Ntladi confirmed the incident but said there was very little detail as to what happened.

“I don’t have a clue as to what happened but I can confirm that there was a school that burned down in Katlehong, Moleleki Extension. I don’t have the details [such as the name of the school]. I’m still awaiting reports from the crew that was on scene,” Ntladi said.

Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said some of the issues that the people who were protesting had nothing to do with education.