A battle between the community of Uitzig in Ravensmead and the provincial Education Department over the closure of Uitzig High School is under way in the Western Cape High Court. A Cape Argus report says the community wants the court to force the department to keep the school open after they indicated that it will close due to vandalism.

Advocate Norman Arendse, who is representing the community, said: ‘The Western Cape Education Department must say why the school has been degraded and neglected. It must also provide electricity and water to the school. These are all the mandatory obligations which they failed to perform.

The MEC (Debbie Schäfer) has said learners at the school can go to Ravensmead, Florida and St Andrews, but the classes at those schools are overcrowded.’ Schäfer previously said the school had a pupil enrolment of 94. ‘These numbers have dwindled in the last four years from 460 to 94.

The main school building has been significantly vandalised over the years and is in a state of partial demolition due to extensive theft and continued vandalism. None of the original classrooms can be utilised, notwithstanding constant repairs that have been done. It is clear that the condition of the existing building is not conducive to continued teaching and is hazardous,’ Schäfer said.

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