Olifantshoek pupils back at school

Schools in Olifantshoek in the Northern Cape are open again after seven months of no school.

Three schools – one high school and two primary schools – were closed down by residents last year, leaving 2 583 pupils locked out of their classrooms. Residents demanded the resignation of Gamagara local municipality mayor Maria Diniza.

Diniza said she would only resign if asked by the ANC to do so.

Shoes Obuseng, spokesperson for the community, confirmed the schools were open. He said some of the learners even started school a week earlier than their counterparts in the rest of the Northern Cape.

“The provincial department of education arranged for the children to receive counselling,” he said.

Sydney Stander, spokesperson for the department, is visiting Olifantshoek today and said he would make a statement later today.