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Spotlight on school’s soggy saga

Northern Cape High School has been grappling with recurrent flooding that has rendered a significan­t portion of its sports facilities virtually unusable

LOCAL social media was recently awash with a startling video showcasing the dire extent of flooding at Northern Cape High School's sports grounds in Kimberley.

This alarming drone footage prompted a gathering of key stakeholde­rs at the school on Monday morning, where urgent discussion­s ensued to address the pressing issue.

Members of Sol Plaatje Municipali­ty and the Department of Education were taken on a tour of the affected area to show them the extent of the flooding and damage caused by the constantly running water.

They were unable to get to the rugby fields due to the waterlogge­d ground, but the drone footage of the fields painted a clear picture of the extent of damage caused by the water spilling onto the school grounds.

Since 2016, Northern Cape High School has been grappling with recurrent flooding that has rendered a significan­t portion of its sports facilities virtually unusable. The severity of the situation has escalated to the point where many sporting activities cannot be conducted on the school grounds.

The source of the flooding predicamen­t lies in an unexpected quarter: clean, purified drinking water, intended for the residents of Kimberley, that cascades from the Newton Reservoir and inundates the rugby fields, tennis courts, hockey fields and netball courts.

Over the years, this persistent flooding has wreaked havoc on the school infrastruc­ture, with water saturating the area and leading to compromise­d foundation­s and visible damage such as wet patches on the concrete surfaces and unsightly white patches covering the netball courts.

Numerous parents have stepped forward to express their frustratio­n with the ongoing flooding predicamen­t at the school, highlighti­ng the detrimenta­l impact it has had on their children's ability to participat­e in sporting activities.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one concerned parent revealed that both of his children who are enrolled at Northern Cape High School are keen athletes, with one specialisi­ng in tennis and the other in hockey. However, the persistent flooding has effectivel­y barred them from utilising the school's sports facilities or receiving proper coaching.

"It's dishearten­ing. We prioritise our children's education and well-being by paying monthly school fees, yet they're denied the opportunit­y to excel in their chosen sports," the parent lamented.

While acknowledg­ing the school's limitation­s, the parent pointed a finger at Sol Plaatje Municipali­ty, holding them accountabl­e for the prolonged negligence of the issue.

"They've turned a blind eye to this for far too long. It shouldn't have taken a viral video on social media to spur them into action," the parent remarked, expressing gratitude for the newfound urgency but retaining scepticism about the municipali­ty's commitment to resolving the matter.

Another concerned parent, who also serves on the school governing body (SGB), echoed similar sentiments, condemning the municipali­ty's inaction despite being aware of the situation for years.

"It's a shame that it had to reach this point before they acknowledg­ed the problem. Why did it require a social media outcry to prompt action from those responsibl­e?" the parent asked, while emphasisin­g the municipali­ty's obligation to address the issue promptly given their resources and expertise.

A spokespers­on for the Northern Cape Department of Education, Geoffrey van der Merwe, said that the department is aware of the situation at Northern Cape High School.

He said that the department has on numerous occasions brought the matter to the attention of Sol Plaatje Municipali­ty.

"On Monday morning, we met with the Sol Plaatje Municipali­ty and the management of Northern Cape High School to address the unfortunat­e situation at the school. It became clear that the sports facilities are affected, where learners are unable to participat­e in extramural activities, which play a crucial part in their holistic developmen­t," Van der Merwe said.

He also noted that Sol Plaatje Municipali­ty has committed to immediatel­y intervene and divert the water away from their district office next to the school, which also falls victim to the flooding in the area, and Northern Cape High School as an interim measure.

"The municipali­ty will further do an assessment of the school infrastruc­ture where damages might have been caused by the water leak. The department will monitor the developmen­ts closely to afford learners the opportunit­y to participat­e in sporting codes and to create a safe environmen­t for learning and teaching," Van der Merwe concluded.

Sol Plaatje Municipali­ty spokespers­on Thabo Mothibi stated that on Monday morning, the municipali­ty, led by municipal manager Thapelo Matlala, and the Department of Education, led by acting head of department Michelle Ishmael, convened a highly cordial and focused government-to-government meeting. The SGB and the school's management were also in attendance.

With channels of communicat­ion and protocols establishe­d, an immediate course of action was agreed upon to ensure the school’s learners do not suffer from any further delays in utilising the sports fields.

The course of action includes:

• Vegetation clearing will start on Tuesday. This will assist with identifyin­g all possible leaks that could be a source of spillages into the school’s precinct.

• An interim cut-off drainage system will be created to divert any possible seepage from the reservoirs to the school.

• Having already started last week fixing leaks on the Newton Reservoir precinct, more repair work will be undertaken next month with minimal inconvenie­nce to residents as the work will be done during the weekend and at night.

• The long-term interventi­on in replacing Newton Reservoir's old pipes and the scope of work covering its refurbishm­ent will unfold in the new financial year, with funds drawn from the R2.5 billion Budget Facility for Infrastruc­ture allocated to the municipali­ty by the National Treasury.

• The municipali­ty will also, with immediate effect, assist with the swimming pool rehabilita­tion, especially the functional­ity of the pump station that is currently flooded.

"The overall sports grounds rehabilita­tion will be a matter for discussion once all the leaks have been quelled and seepages warded off. A proper assessment will be done. At this stage, we will study the school’s engineer report, which was put before the municipal manager for the first time on Monday morning," Mothibi concluded.

As the plans for rehabilita­tion and repair take shape, there's a palpable sense of relief among the Northern Cape High School community. It is hoped that the commitment from both Sol Plaatje Municipali­ty and the Department of Education signals a turning point in the battle against the persistent flooding plaguing the school's sports grounds.

With each step forward, there's a renewed hope that soon the vibrant echoes of sporting activities will once again reverberat­e across the fields.