End of struggle for safe school

RUST-TER-VAAL SECONDARY: 'WE EXPOSED CHILDREN TO ASBESTOS,' SAYS GAUTENG PREMIER >>> Pupils move into modern facility after years of unsafe learning conditions.

- Oratile Mashilo

As Gauteng battles a persistent shortage of classrooms, questions are mounting about the future of abandoned school infrastructure.

Rust-Ter-Vaal Secondary School welcomed pupils to its new building in Sedibeng on Wednesday. The old school building, located in the same community, has been closed due to asbestos used in its construction.

On the sidelines of the opening, premier Panyaza Lesufi addressed concerns about the future of the old Rust-Ter-Vaal school grounds, which will now stand unused, even as demand for pupil placements continues to grow.

He emphasised that while the new facility resolves immediate classroom shortages, plans for the abandoned site are still under consideration, as the province grapples with growing pressure on education infrastructure.

The premier, joined by MEC for education, sport, arts, culture and recreation Matome Chiloane and MEC for infrastructure development Jacob Mamabolo, officially launched the new secondary school on Wednesday.

Lesufi said the Gauteng government intends to shut down the old school and replace it with a new primary school.