Residents in Nkandla demand bridge for pupils

PARENTS of learners at Nqundu Combined School in Nkandla have accused the Department of Transport (DoT) and local municipality of neglecting them by failing to build a bridge to allow their children to cross a river safely.

Pupils have to negotiate a dangerous, makeshift bridge across the Ngwengweni River each school day.

Concerned resident, Fana Zulu said: ‘We put up a temporary bridge because when this river is overflowing our children do not go to school.

‘Most of the residents living in this area are poor and are dependent solely on social grants. They can’t afford bus fare for their children to go to school.

‘We urge government leaders to provide us with service delivery. We requested construction of the D2240 road, which would incorporate a proper bridge, but nothing has happened since then,’ Zulu said.

Attempts to get a comment from the DoT were unsuccessful.

However, Department of Education spokesperson, Kwazi Mthethwa, issued a media statement assuring residents that his department will continue to collaborate with the DoT, to find lasting solutions.

‘We recognise the right of access to education for every child as guaranteed in the constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

‘Owing to poor socio-economic conditions and underdevelopment of many rural parts of the province, our learners still have to travel long and dangerous distances to access education,’ he said.

Mthethwa explained that over the past years, his department has resolved a number of cases where learners had to cross rivers in order to reach schools.

‘The department has provided scholar transport for affected learners, and in some cases the department has had to procure ferry boats which became non-viable to use whenever the water levels of the river are low,’ he said.

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