Official 'disgusted' by state of school

2010-12-01 08:13

East London - The Eastern Cape's new education boss has virtually shut down a school for pupils with disabilities and moved to suspend almost all the school’s teachers, the Daily Dispatch reported on Wednesday.

Superintendent-General advocate Modidima Mannya was "so disgusted" with the state of the Vukuhambe Special School that he immediately placed it in the hands of the district office.

"What is at that school is not for humans. It is one thing to have broken toilets but another to have toilets in that state. We give them a budget and something is just not right there," said Mannya who went to the school on Saturday after media reports and pictures showing filthy toilets, grubby baths and broken showers in the state-run institution.

Representatives from the Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) and Disabled People of South Africa also visited the school.

CGE legal officer Kerry Oosthuysen said the three bodies would deliver their report to the Mdantsane education district office this week.

'Cruel punishment'

A furious Mannya said he was "disgusted" that the department had permitted the school to function in such a state.

He said he would order a forensic investigation into its finances as the department invested R1.5m in the school.

Mannya said allowing pupils to stay at the school was "cruel punishment", and he did not understand how an education development officer who claimed to have visited the school weekly could overlook the conditions.

Education spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said the principal, Kenny Mjila, was suspended "on the spot" on Saturday.

"All teachers were asked to report to the district office to be served with precautionary letters."

- SAPA