​Thembisa Shologu
Premier Panyaza Lesufi issued a heartfelt apology to the community of Mayibuye in Tembisa on Wednesday for the prolonged wait for the completion of Mayibuye Primary School, citing unforeseen circumstances.
Originally handed over to the contractor in 2017, the school encountered numerous challenges, including issues surrounding land use rights, contractual disputes, and construction delays. Additionally, misinformation circulated, falsely alleging that the contractor built the school on a wetland, later clarified to be a sewerage line issue that has since been rectified.
With an investment of R60 million, the school stands as a beacon of hope for the community, accommodating 1200 students from Grade R to Grade 7. It boasts 28 state-of-the-art classrooms, 2 smart science laboratories, a computer lab, an early childhood development section, a library, and an administration block.
Premier Lesufi vowed that such delays should never happen again and emphasised the importance of accountability.
"What happened in building this school must never happen again in our schools in Gauteng. Any contractor we give responsibility to build a future for our children must be held accountable because we cannot tolerate people who think they can do what they wish with public funds," said Premier Lesufi.
Lesufi underscored the commitment of the Gauteng Provincial Government to timely delivery of infrastructure projects. He affirmed that Phase 2 of the school project, which includes a Nutrition Centre, a dining hall, a soccer field, and Combi Courts (netball, basketball and tennis courts), will commence on 27 April 2024.
"Today's handover is about delivering on the promise of handing over this beautiful infrastructure to the people of Mayibuye, who have been calling for the swift resolution of the challenges which have led to these delays. We are committed to concluding all these unfinished projects, and we will finish them.
"We cannot allow people to do as they wish with the resources of the state; now our children cannot play football because we need to conclude phase two since somebody decided to abandon this place, now our children cannot play rugby or tennis because somebody did not conclude the task that they were given," said Premier Lesufi. 
MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane said government was working hard to ensure that the state of township schools was improved and at the same level as the former Model C schools in terms of infrastructure. 
Expressing pride in the strides made in education infrastructure, Chiloane urged the community to safeguard the school for the next generation of leaders. 
"Here is your school; its beauty shows how bright your future will be. The school has a beautiful infrastructure that I am very proud of. Please protect this school from this school. We have future leaders of our country. By protecting this school, we are protecting our society," said MEC Chiloane. 
Chairperson of the SGB, Mandlenkosi Baleni, expressed gratitude to the teachers for their resilience amidst challenges and to the government for fulfilling its commitment despite delays.
"We are delighted as parents that the school has officially been opened. The school was previously housed at Makhutha Secondary School. We had a lot of challenges, which we are no longer going to face. We now have tanks for water and a generator to assist when there is no water or electricity," added Baleni.