Siviwe Gwarube, the Minister of Basic Education, faced hostility when she travelled to Limpopo on Monday as calls for her resignation intensified.
During her tour to Pietersburg English Medium Primary School in Polokwane, Gwarube encountered members of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) protesting outside the school.
There was police presence in and outside the school as she addressed a media briefing. She is in the province to visit schools as part of her national listening and learning tour.
Cosas fired the first salvo by questioning Gwarube about why she attended a privileged, predominately white Quintal 5 school in the city as opposed to a public school in a Limpopo township or village where socioeconomic issues were prevalent.
Cosas national coordinator, Sello Mahladisa, added that the learners’ movement was calling for Gwarube’s dismissal after she chose not to attend the signing of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa last Friday.
Ramaphosa stated at the signing ceremony that further discussions with opposition parties will cause a three-month delay in the implementation of some bill provisions.
Planned march to Union Buildings
Mahladisa said Cosas was urging Ramaphosa to take action against Gwarube. “We gathered outside this school to express ourselves regarding the behaviour of this minister,” he said.
“She is clearly out of touch with reality. Her actions clearly indicate that she does not understand the plight of black learners.
“That is why we are making a passionate plea to President Ramaphosa to fire this woman immediately because this person does not stand for the poor.
“Today’s protest action is the first step as a demonstration of our displeasure with Gwarube.
“We are going to escalate this matter until our demands are met. From here, we are going to march to the Union Buildings to tell the president of South Africa that we are tired.
“We understand that we are in the government of national unity, and as Cosas, we want it to work for the benefit of all South Africans, particularly the Bela Bill, for the benefit of the marginalised black learners who are the majority in this country.
“However, if an individual is given a critical position, such as being the political head of the basic education sector, and that person seems to be anti-progressive, that is a serious problem that needs urgent solution.”
Mahladisa said Cosas’ rallying call for the resignation of Gwarube will echo across the country after the South African Democratic Teachers Union also called for her axing.
