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The Select Committee on Education, Science and the Creative Industries has expressed concern over reports that construction mafias are disrupting school projects across the North West Province.

The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Makhi Feni, said the committee condemns this behaviour, which will frustrate the province's efforts to deliver quality education. “We are concerned when people from outside, driven by greed, with the sole intention of disrupting government services, could easily do as they please around our schools. The talk in the country and in our government is about improving service delivery, where the impact could be easily pointed to,” he said.

“We are not going to be quiet, and we call on law enforcement to deal with these mafia elements because they are known, and they are brazen. We are not going to be governed by construction mafias. Education is not their territory, and we do not want them anywhere near our schools and school projects.” MEC for Education in the North West, Ms Viola Motsumi, told the committee that, in some instances, these construction mafias had started targeting each other and people on project sites, to the point that projects stalled.

The committee is currently conducting oversight of schools in the Klerksdorp area in the Matlosana Local Municipality, where it has heard that many public schools face maintenance challenges and difficulties with the provision of ICT infrastructure.

Mr Feni said the department will not report to thugs on its work, but to Parliament, where the authority and budget expenditure mandates lie. He observed gaps in the Auditor General's report and the provincial department's report, which must be resolved going forward.

The committee will conduct a walkabout in four schools, including the Keurhof Special School.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and Creative Industries, Makhi Feni