Gauteng public schools face severe overcrowding with nearly half operating beyond capacity
via The Citizen7 min read
Gauteng's public school system is experiencing a significant overcrowding crisis, with 1,021 of its 2,111 schools operating above their intended capacity. The province's student enrollment has more than doubled since 1995, now reaching 2,835,168 pupils, with an annual increase of approximately 50,000. MEC for Education Lebogang Maile stated that 48% of public schools are over capacity, with secondary schools particularly affected; 64% of secondary schools are oversubscribed, compared to 41% of primary schools. This imbalance is exacerbated by having more than twice as many primary schools as secondary schools, leading to a net shortfall of 88,088 spaces in secondary schools, requiring an estimated 83 additional full-sized schools. Infrastructure risks are so severe in five districts that not all pupils may be placed for the 2027 academic year. Johannesburg South and Tshwane West are the hardest-hit districts, with 68% of schools operating above capacity. The crisis is driven by in-migration to Gauteng as an economic hub, with residential development outpacing school construction. The province aims to build ten new schools annually, but this target is not consistently met, and Maile acknowledged a deficit of at least 200 new schools to stabilize the system. Budget constraints, with a large portion absorbed by educator wages, limit funds for infrastructure and maintenance. A significant furniture shortage also exists, with primary schools lacking 67,855 chairs and 25,990 double
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Two opposition parties in the City of Johannesburg, the African Christian Democratic Party ACDP and the Democratic Alliance DA, have expressed significant concern regarding the metro's increasing dependence on loans to finance service delivery projects. The ACDP stated that the city has borrowed R5 billion from financial institutions over the past 12 months for infrastructure projects. Chris Rohlssen of the ACDP argues these loans are unnecessary and unsustainable, suggesting the city should instead focus on improving revenue collection, particularly the R71 billion owed by residents and businesses. Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, DA caucus leader in Johannesburg, also voiced concerns about the city's borrowing habits. The DA has taken the City of Johannesburg to court over a R10 billion wage deal approved with the South African Municipal Workers Union Samwu, fearing it will divert funds from service delivery. Kayser-Echeozonjoku criticized the city's growing reliance on loans while simultaneously committing to long-term obligations like the proposed R10 billion Politically Facilitated Agreement, calling it a failure of financial discipline. She also highlighted a lack of accountability, noting that the DA has requested the National Treasury to investigate the use of a R2.5 billion loan from the Agence Française de Développement, emphasizing that borrowed funds should transparently support service delivery improvements, not mask governance failures.
Must ReadOn Freedom Day, the infamous Vlakplaas farm, located 20km west of Pretoria, was found abandoned and vandalized. This site served as the headquarters for the apartheid-era Security Branch police death squad, C1, later known as C10, which operated from 1979 to 1993. The unit was notorious for capturing, converting, or executing anti-apartheid activists. During the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, Vlakplaas was exposed as a center of apartheid-era atrocities. Last month, convicted apartheid assassin Eugene de Kock testified in the Eastern Cape High Court during the Cradock Four inquest, stating that instructions to kill came directly from the top of the apartheid state, then President PW Botha. The property, despite some initial appearances of being well-kept with trimmed grass and flower beds, showed signs of decay, including broken glass, old faeces, and stripped interiors. Rooms with safe-like steel doors and ventilation windows were observed in some abandoned buildings. A concerned Gerhardsville resident, Charne Strydom, discovered the vandalized state of the farm, noting a cut fence, an open back gate, and cut power cables, with evidence of cables being dug out of the ground. Strydom and a friend posted videos of the site online, which received significant attention. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure had not responded to inquiries about the farm's condition and future.
Must ReadThe United States is signaling a potential improvement in its relationship with South Africa, following a statement from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This comes after months of diplomatic tension between the two nations. Rubio extended greetings to South Africa on its Freedom Day, marking the 32nd anniversary of its first democratic elections. He stated that the US remains open to "constructive engagement where our interests align." This outreach follows a period where former President Trump had criticized South Africa on various issues, including debunked claims about the treatment of white Afrikaners. Tensions escalated further when the US boycotted the G20 leaders' Summit hosted in Johannesburg, with Trump citing alleged human rights abuses against descendants of European settlers. Secretary Rubio had also previously indicated an intention to bar South Africa from the G20 and replace it with Poland. More recently, South Africa's Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was not accredited to attend an upcoming meeting of G20 finance chiefs in Washington, US. The US assumed the G20's annual rotating presidency from South Africa in late 2025.
The South African government has addressed misleading claims regarding a "disruption" at the National Freedom Day celebrations in Bloemfontein, Free State. Acting government spokesperson Nomonde Mnukwa stated that there was no security threat or attempt to harm President Cyril Ramaphosa or Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie. During the event, an individual briefly approached the President and Minister on stage after the formal program had concluded and a cultural performance was underway. Mnukwa explained that the individual, in a "state of visible excitement," intended to greet them. Security personnel responded swiftly, and it was later confirmed that the individual posed no security threat, with actions driven by enthusiasm. The official program was not disrupted, and President Ramaphosa continued to engage with the public, including the individual involved. The government urged the public and media to rely on verified information and exercise caution with unconfirmed reports.