ANC councillor admits he evicted kids from crèche to make way for his office

05 May 2016 - 17:17 By Beatrice Shongwe
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An ANC ward councillor has admitted to evicting children from a township crèche in Mpumalanga because he wanted to use the facility as his office.

Toys at a creche. File photo
Toys at a creche. File photo
Image: iStock Images

The politician, Sabelo Masuku, recently evicted the children from the facility in Matsulu outside Mbombela, and banned anyone from using the vacant property because "it belongs to the municipality."

“I want them gone from that place. They should get a garage at one of their own houses and turn it into a crèche. The place in question doesn’t belong to them; they were only asked to look after that place, not to make it a crèche,” said Masuku on Thursday.

Masuku said it was not his duty to ensure that the children had an alternative place to get day care while their parents are at work during the day.

“I don’t really care what happens. All I need is that place for our office. The lady whom we allowed to use the property can go to her house and build a crèche there,” he added.

Joanna Nkosi, the woman who ran the Lovely Flower Day Care centre at the municipal property, admitted that the place belonged to the municipality, but said she expected assistance from the councillor.

“They chased us out without any notice. I was looking after sixteen kids. We started the crèche in 2010 and I made sure that I pay rental. Now, the councillor has decided that we don't belong there. I don't know what to do. I expected that councillors were more concerned with childhood development than ordinary citizens who are not aware of government programmes to groom children for a better future," said Nkosi. - African Eye News Service

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