The Congress of SA Students (Cosas) has threatened to shut down all private schools that remain open during the four-week Covid-19 break for public schools, arguing that having them open while public schools are closed is not fair.

The threats to shut down private schools comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that public schools will close from 27 July to 24 August, to help combat the surge in infections, notes TimesLIVE.

Private schools are expected to remain open even after the school holidays.

Speaking on eNCA, Cosas president Douglas Ngobeni said the process of shutting down private schools was under way. He said private schools were trying to make a profit in the midst of a pandemic and that the student body was trying to ‘save lives’.

‘We are trying to save lives of our brothers and sisters,’ said Ngobeni.

’The lives of our South Africans matter more than profit or any other business arrangement. Our children are taken to private schools not necessarily because they are privileged, (but) because these masters want to make profit.’

Head of Cosas' political department Thabang Mamaila told Power 98.7 that the closure of public schools would give private schools a further academic advantage.

Mamaila said the shutdown was a peaceful ‘non-entry protest’ that would be held at all private schools.

Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa's (Isasa) executive director Lebogang Montjane said it made no sense.

On Monday, Montjane said private schools were continuing with e-learning and that no students, teachers, or staff are at the school premises.

Last week, he also said that private schools were well-equipped to manage with Covid-19 infrastructure, compared with public schools.

Full TimesLIVE report