Statement on the re-opening of Mawombe High School

11 Oct 2010

The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal has taken a decision to re-open Mawombe High School near Mtubatuba in Northern Zululand, after it was closed for nearly three weeks. The decision follows a series of meetings between department officials, the local traditional council, parents, educators and learners.

The Superintendent General of the Department, Dr Cassius Lubisi shut down the school after learners went on a rampage mid-September, throwing stones breaking all windows and badly vandalising the office of the principal and some computers. Rampant learners, who were demanding the re-instatement of a suspended educator, even attempted to set the school on fire.

Various meetings were subsequently held where parents promised to fully cooperate in all processes of the running of the school and in bringing those responsible to book.

"After a number of meetings we felt, the community and learners were quite sincere about their plea to have the school re-opened. However, we still had a challenge of convincing educators whose lives were endangered by the rampant learners. A number of these educators, who are still traumatised by the experience, had already begun making arrangements to be considered for posts elsewhere. We want to stress that the legal process already underway against those that were arrested, will not be affected by this decision," MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal said.

The School Governing Body (SGB) will be taking action against suspected wrong-doers.

Parents and the community have undertaken to ensure that the safety of the educators is guaranteed. Educators are currently undergoing counselling. A security arrangement has been made as follows:

• Police will be stationed at the school for the duration of schooling activities each day until the situation is reviewed
• Teachers will be accompanied by police to and from the school, until the situation gets reviewed
• The provincial government is initiating a peace process between the warring parties in that area.

Mawombe High School re-opens on Monday, 11 October 2010 under stringent admission procedures. A key factor in this process is that a learner will only be admitted if accompanied by a parent. Both the learner and parent will required to sign a pledge to abide by the strict rules and regulations of the school.

For further information contact:
Muntu Lukhozi
Cell: 082 562 5965 
E-mail: muntu.lukhozi@kzndoe.gov.za  

Issued by: KwaZulu-Natal Education 
11 Oct 2010