Wedela High School crisis: Seven years without power

THEFT AND VANDALISM

- MASABATA MKWANANZI

THEFT and vandalism at Wedela Technical High School have plunged over 1 400 learners into darkness and left taps dry, crippling education at the Merafong school.

A recent oversight visit by the Democratic Alliance (DA) revealed that the school has been without electricity for seven years and continues to face frequent water outages.

Sergio Isa Dos Santos, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education, said learners and teachers are forced to fetch water in buckets for ablutions, while the lone Jojo tank provided by the municipality remains uncovered and potentially contaminated, leaving the water unsafe to drink.

“As a technical school, Wedela relies heavily on electricity for practical lessons and machinery such as lathes. Without power, learners are deprived of meaningful education and critical skills development,” Dos Santos said.