DA rejects EFF politicking in Gauteng schools

23 January 2024

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng demands that Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane enforce stringent measures to stop political parties from campaigning in schools during school hours.

This follows a recent incident of political campaigning by members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on school premises. The DA has come across video footage circulating on social media, allegedly depicting EFF members distributing food packs to La Rochelle Primary School learners situated in La Rochelle, south of Johannesburg.

See the video here.

In the video, an unidentified individual can be heard stating, "... tell your parents that the EFF of this school, they love us, they brought us some nice fruit..." This type of political messaging within the school and during school hours is unacceptable and undermines the primary purpose of educational institutions.

While the DA acknowledges and commends any organisation contributing to the welfare of the learners through the provision of food packs, we firmly reject the exploitation of such initiatives for political campaigning during school hours. Education institutions should be dedicated to the essential task of learning and teaching, without being politicised.

We call upon all political parties to recognise that schools are places to learn and to refrain from engaging in political activities on school premises. Learners should be provided with an environment conducive to learning, free from any form of political influence.

Issued by Sergio Dos Santos, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Education, 23 January 2024