Lesufi’s new “feeder zones” will cause chaos

23 October 2018

The new regulations for the amendment of schools' feeder zones proposed by the MEC for Education in Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, will result in utter chaos if they are adopted.

At present, schools' feeder zones cover a radius of 5km. It means that learners who live in or whose parents work in a radius of 5km from the school are seen as learners who are part of that school's natural feeder zone.

These learners, therefore, enjoy preference for placement at the school. Most schools do indeed accept learners from outside its natural feeder zone if there is still space left after initial placement.

Lesufi now wants to change the radius of feeder zones to 30km. This is according to the regulation amendments that the MEC published in the Government Gazette on the 30th of July 2018.  Since then, more than 10 000 objections to the amendments have been submitted to the Department of Education in Gauteng.

The FF Plus is of the opinion that if Lesufi succeeds in changing the feeder zones, utter chaos will ensue in the province.  It makes no sense for a learner who lives in Bronkhorstspruit to attend a school in the Pretoria Moot area, unless that learner was placed at the school after learners from the immediate surrounding area have already been accommodated.

The FF Plus is opposed to these amendments and will offer its support to the schools that are concerned about the matter. The FF Plus is of the opinion that learners from the existing natural feeder zones may not get a place at schools in their vicinity and that will, in turn, put even more financial pressure on parents in the province.

Lesufi needs to realise that primary and secondary learners are regionally bound and cannot choose where to receive their education as students are able to choose at which university they want to study. The FF Plus believes that it will force parents to run around in an attempt to get their children placed at a school and that it may even put the lives of children at risk seeing as they will have to be transported longer distances if they cannot find a place at a nearby school. Gauteng already has problems with heavy traffic and our roads are not at all safe. Lesufi's new regulations will have a much greater impact than he realises.

The FF Plus wants to make it very clear that Lesufi is merely trying to cover up his own laxity by proposing these new regulations. The facts are as follows:

- The National Council of Provinces visited the various provinces in September 2018 and found that 142 new schools are needed.

- 85 new primary schools must be built to address the shortage of 3166 classrooms.

- 57 new secondary schools must be built to address the shortage of 2388 classrooms.

- There is an influx of 114000 new learners into Gauteng every year.

- Some of the new schools that had been built at a cost of R249 million have been standing vacant for more than a year, as is the case with the Nokhuthula Centre and Special School in Lyndhurst, Johannesburg.

The FF Plus believes that the time has come to replace the ANC in Gauteng with a new government consisting of a coalition of opposition parties and that lax MEC's, like Pamyaza Lesufi, must be replaced with competent and goal-orientated people who can plan, manage and who will put the interests of learners first.

Issued by Philip van Staden, FF Plus MPL: Gauteng Legislature, 23 October 2018