Please find attached soundbite in English by Neo Mabote.
Please find attached soundbite in Setswana by Neo Mabote.
- Learners are being forced to learn in unsafe and deteriorating classrooms,
- Unsafe classrooms and failing sanitation undermine learners’ right to quality education,
- The DA calls for urgent intervention and infrastructure upgrades at Renalerona High School.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mahikeng is calling on the North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi, to urgently intervene and address the deteriorating infrastructure at Renalerona High School, where learners are being forced to attend classes in unsafe and unacceptable conditions.
During an oversight inspection conducted on 3 June 2026, the DA observed alarming infrastructure challenges at the school, which serves learners from several surrounding rural communities, including Weltevreden, Mooipan, Siberia, Louisdal, and neighbouring villages.
Renalerona High School, which was constructed more than three decades ago, has suffered years of neglect and inadequate maintenance. Classrooms are in a state of disrepair, with damaged roofs, leaking ceilings, and visible structural deterioration (see photos here, here, here and here). These conditions create an environment that is not only unconducive to learning but also poses a direct risk to the safety of learners and educators.
Equally concerning is the condition of the school’s sanitation facilities. Learners are reportedly forced to use toilets that are blocked, overflowing, and unhygienic, creating serious health and dignity concerns (see photos here and here). No learner should be expected to endure such conditions while trying to access an education.
The DA believes these conditions reflect a broader failure by the Department of Education to properly maintain and manage school infrastructure across the province. Safe and functional learning environments are not a luxury; they are a constitutional requirement and a basic expectation for every child.
The DA therefore calls on the MEC and the Department of Education to urgently assess the condition of Renalerona High School, prioritise the refurbishment of critical infrastructure, address sanitation challenges, and ensure that preventative maintenance programmes are implemented to avoid further deterioration.
Government cannot expect quality teaching and learning outcomes while learners are forced to study in unsafe and degrading conditions.
The DA believes every child deserves access to a safe, dignified, and functional school environment. We will continue to use every available oversight mechanism to hold the department accountable and to fight for the infrastructure, resources, and educational opportunities that learners deserve.