IN QUOTES | Panyaza Lesufi updates parents on 2020 admissions - 'We have enough capacity to accept all learners'

Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi on Sunday addressed parents about the progress made by his department in dealing with the 2020 registration backlogs. Addressing the media briefing, Lesufi also spoke about claims that the department is planning to move white learners to township schools.

Here's his address in six telling quotes:

We're making progress

“The placements in our schools total 96.4% of all the parents who applied. We're indeed proud that at least we have reached the 96% mark, and we're left with the 4% mark before 31 November. We are going to go to areas where we will persuade the parents to accept the offers.”

AfriForum attacks

“I don't mind you attacking me, but leave my children and family out of this thing. There is no need for you to follow my family and my children to school. I have opened three cases with the Hawks, but I'm on my own. They have hanged me publicly, but the police have not opened a case. I'm happy they've come out publicly to demonstrate who they are.”

White learners to remain in the suburbs

“It is important to also address the distortions that have been made that we are introducing English and Afrikaans in township schools so we can take a certain race and place them in township schools. That is a clear distortion. There are parents who are willing to take their children to township schools that have changed or are doing well, but the problem is that because they were in former Model C school, where there are no African languages, the issue of language becomes a barrier.”

Court battle

“When our online registration processes were due to go live, there were three organisations that threatened to take us to court. We felt we had a solid case but we preferred a middle ground, which was that all parents should be given the right to apply. These organisations felt you should use the home address as the first eliminator. If you do so in this country, it means it will benefit those who stay in the suburbs.”

Gauteng has enough schools

“We have enough capacity to accept all learners. The problem is parents want to choose certain schools. If we didn't have that limitation,  I would not be addressing you. If anyone wants to argue that Gauteng is struggling with placements on the basis that they are not building enough schools, that person is wrong. Where we are, the number of classrooms can accommodate all learners, but the issue we have is choice.”

Gauteng province is ready for 2020

“There will be no child without a class in Gauteng, and there will be no classroom without a teacher and the necessary resources like textbooks and furniture. We're working hard to ensure that across the entire province, all learners are placed before 30 November.”