DA rescues textbooks from destruction site in Limpopo to donate to schools

The Democratic Alliance (DA) this morning rescued a number of textbooks in perfect condition from the scrapheap at the site outside Polokwane where the government has been shredding and burning them.

Amongst the material are maths and science books, poetry, and African language stories. We are currently sorting the reading material into batches to be donated to schools in Limpopo where they are needed most. (To view pictures, click here.)

The Education Department first denied that they were paying anyone to destroy books. They then attempted to pass off the books as unusable. The Department admitted on television news that they routinely destroy books. In the context of a province where children go without books, this is nothing short of criminal.

We have also received a response from Education Minister Angie Motshekga to our request for details on why these books were being destroyed. The Ministry claims that it had no knowledge of this and is currently awaiting answers from the Limpopo Education Department.

It is clear from our previous visit to the site, and the material rescued today, that there are hundreds of books in perfect condition. These books will be of immense value to a child who has no access to reading material.

We intend to donate these books to identified schools tomorrow and will communicate the details thereof. 

We also reiterate our call for a full investigation into the Department's use of public money to destroy perfectly usable books in a province where over 5 000 schools have none.

Statement issued by Desiree van der Walt, DA Limpopo Education spokesperson, June 25 2012

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