Statement by Marius Fransman, MEC for Transport and Public Works

Every year learner enrolments at schools across the Western Cape increase and this has put a burden on both the Departments of Education and Transport and Public Works.

These increases are a result of learners joining the school system for the first time and those who have migrated to this province. This has necessitated the building of new schools to accommodate these new learners.

The lack of classrooms in the past years has led to protests to the Department of Education and this has indirectly affected the Department of Transport and Public Works as it has the responsible of building, maintaining and managing new schools.

Last year learners, staff and governing body members from Sophakama Primary School in Du Noon staged a demonstrattion againts overcrowding at their school. Protests like these and the influx of learners from schools in other provinces to schools in the Western Cape have called for visionaries and proper planning to ensure that we do not experience similar situations as in previous years.

I am proud to announce today that my department is in the process of completing 22 schools of which the first 15 will be fully operational on 18 January 2006. These new schools across the Western Cape will accommodate 17 000 learners for the 2006 school year.

Learners and teachers will be able to occupy these schools as from the beginning of the 2006 school term. Some of these schools have been built in only six months indicating our commitment to providing education facilities at an accelerated rate but without compromising the quality of the structures.

The following 15 schools have been completed:

• Masiphumelele Secondary School - R16, 9 million
• Simanyene Secondary School in Nomzamo, Strand - R 12, 9 million
• Mfuleni Secondary School - R12, 9 million
• Parklands High School in Table View - R12, 9 million
• Blue Downs Secondary School - R12, 9 million
• Philippi West Secondary School - R15 million
• Ekuthuleni Primary School in Bloekombos - R9, 1 million
• Pacaltsdorp Primary School - R9, 6 million
• Leiden Ave Primary School (1) in Delft - R8, 7 million
• Philippi East Secondary School - R10, 7 million
• Eindhoven Primary School (2) in Delft - R8, 6 million
• Leiden Secondary School in Delft - R10, 29 million
• Kalkfontein Primary School - R13 million
• Groenheuwel Primary School - R8, 2 million
• Nyameka Primary School in Mfuleni - R11, 9 million

The following schools will be delivered in February, March and June:

• Philippi Secondary School
• Philippi East Primary School
• Wallacedene Dean Primary
• High Bury Secondary
• Du Noon Secondary
• Kuyasa Primary School
• Philippi Primary School
• Smutsville Primary
• Vredenberg Primary
• Additional 60 classrooms will be completed during this period.

We have invested R170 million in the construction of these schools to provide dignified and decent education facilities to the thousands of learners from disadvantaged communities.

This investment has also created more than 3 000 work opportunities for unemployed people within the areas where these schools are built. Historically disadvantaged individuals have been awarded 80% of all tenders for contracting, sub-contracting and professional services thus providing opportunities for emerging black businesses.

For the 2006/ 2007 financial year, we will build the following schools :

1. Worcester - Avian Park Primary School (estimated cost: R12,500,000)

2. Boys Town Secondary School (R15,000,000)

3. Melkbosstrand - Melkbosstrand Secondary School (R15,000,000)

4. Stellenbosch - Khayamandi Secondary School (R15,000,000)

5. Gansbaai - Gaansbaai Secondary School R15,000,000)

6. Grabouw Secondary School (R15,000,000)

7. Brackenfell Secondary School (R15,000,000)

8. Bloemkombos - Wallacedene Secondary School (R16,000,000)

9. Bothasig - Tafelsig School Lsen R19,000,000)

10. Group Schools - Delft N2 Gateway and Khayelitsha primary schools: four new schools (R50,000,000)

11. Group Schools - Delft N2 Gateway and Khayelitsha secondary schools: five new schools (R75,000,000)

The Department of Transport and Public Works is responsible for the building, maintaining and managing new schools including the erection of temporary classrooms. This number of schools built and delivered to communities at one time indicates the commitment of this department and the government of the Western Cape to deliver on its promises. There are still challenges facing us. We have 700 000 learners within the metropolitan area and 90% of them attend schools with proper facilities.

We will continue to build schools, hospitals and roads in areas in which they are most needed so that the Western Cape becomes a real "Home for All" where the needs of all the people are catered for.

For further information, please contact  Eric Ntabazalila at  021 483 2131 / 083 647 6311