A protest march to highlight the plight of children who have to use their playground as a toilet was postponed yesterday. Organisers say the municipality denied them permission to march to City Hall, while the acting municipal manager said he knew nothing about it at all.
A protest march to highlight the plight of children who have to use their playground as a toilet was postponed yesterday. Organisers say the municipality denied them permission to march to City Hall, while the acting municipal manager said he knew nothing about it at all.
The Samuel Ntsiko Primary School governing body together with Gadra Education organised the march to highlight the fact that the 600-pupil school hasn't had running water for over a year. Children between the ages of four and 14 have been forced to use the playground area of the school to relieve themselves since June 2011.
Kelly Long from Gadra said the purpose of the march was to deliver a statement to the municipality demanding that the water situation be resolved.
The protest action had to be postponed however, after Makana municipality allegedly refused to give them the go-ahead.
According to Long, SGB chairperson Ntombekhaya Adam submitted the official forms asking the municipality for permission to march early last week. A written response denying them permission was given to Adam on Friday, Long said. Adam was also allegedly told that she would meet with the municipal manager, but the date of the meeting had not yet been confirmed.
Speaking to Grocott's Mail yesterday acting municipal manager Thembinkosi Myalato said he knew nothing of the march or the refusal, although he did receive a report yesterday morning about the water problems at Ntsiko. He said they had sent municipal staff to investigate.
