This as the Free State Department of Education yesterday failed to meet with different stakeholders that includes the School Governing Body in that area.

The meeting was set to find lasting solutions with regard to the ongoing public violence.

The violence has since forced the relocation of grade 12 learners from four high schools to different places of safety to avert any hindrance to the National Senior Certificate examinations.

The departmental spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, tells OFM News the meeting was postponed to next week Tuesday for further discussions.

“The community leader gave us an apology that they won’t be part of the meeting and they requested that the meeting at least be held on Tuesday because they want their lawyers present during the meeting.

So, unfortunately, the meeting did not take place yesterday,” says Ndaba.

At least 49 people will today appear in the Koffiefontein Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on charges of public violence and destruction of property.

This follows a series of violent protests that ravaged the troubled area for almost two months.

The Police spokesperson, Thandi Mbambo, yesterday told OFM News that the police are aware that the protests led to the shutdown of all schools in the area but could not confirm as to whether there was any destruction of school property.

Earlier the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) urged parents and communities to provide good support to the learners during this period which they say is mostly filled with anxiety. Sadtu General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke, further urged parents to give the learners the best parental support and motivation to make things easier for the learners to complete these final examinations.

OFM News