The classes were disrupted at Matla Primary School in Bloemfontein this morning as irate residents from Phase 6 gathered outside the school premises, demanding to meet with the school principal over ongoing construction projects within the schoolyard.

Residents continued to gather outside the school premises and pupils were taken out of their classes. Police officers were already on the scene to manage the situation and ensure the safety of students and staff.

The officers instructed the community members to stand 100 meters from the school premises to prevent further disruption.

Matla Primary School is situated at Phase 6 in Bloemfontein. Photo: Kekeletso Mosebetsi.

Lebohang Daniels Sekema, a community leader explained the residents are dissatisfied with the development of the construction project and the hiring process allegedly led by the school principal.

“There’s a conflict between the community and the School Governing Body (SGB) along with the principal. We believe that the principal doesn’t cooperate with the community. The problem is that members currently working on the project are from outside our community, Ward 51,” he stated.

Sekema alleged that the principal has been favouring workers from Ward 46 instead of hiring locally from Ward 51, where the project is taking place. He claimed that the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) and health and safety staff hired for the project are from Ward 46.

Additionally, Sekema said that a community member provided electricity from their home to the school between 2022/23 and was never compensated as was promised by the principal.

“We urge the Department of Education to take action on these allegations as they may involve mismanagement of funds,” Sekema added.

‘We believe that we have been dismally failed by the school’

The community leader expressed frustration over the lack of communication and transparency from the SGB.

“The councillor was only informed about the project at its initial stages and has never been given any feedback as the project continues. We believe that we have been dismally failed by the school and the SGB, as they seem to be defending the principal by all means,” he said.

Sekema called for investigations and consequences if the allegations were true.

This is not the first time Matla Primary School has made headlines. In 2022, the school was closed down by angry residents due to issues such as understaffing, lack of resources, and insufficient activities for learners.

OFM News awaiting a response from the Department of Education.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi mvh