By Asemahle Mbete.
UMphathiswa weSebe leMfundo esiSiseko (i-DBE) uSiviwe Gwarube baphoswe ngumhla wokugqibela abazibekele wona wamashumi amathathu anany (31) kweyoKwindla 2025 wokuphelisa zonke izindlu zangasese zemingxuma ezikolweni ezichongwe phantsi kwephulo le-2018 Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE).
Ngaphandle kwenkqubela phambili ebalulekileyo, i-96% yezikolo ezingama-3,372 ezidweliswe kuphicotho-zincwadi lokuqala ziye zatshintshelwa izindlu zangasese zemingxuma, izikolo ezili-141 zisaxhomekeke kwezi zakhiwo ziyingozi. U-Gwarube uvumile ukusilela kwesebe, evuma ukuba bashota ngomyinge we-4% ukuze babekanti bawugqibile lo msebenzi. Ukuphendula, i-DBE ibeke ithagethi entsha ka-Julayi 2025 ukugqibezela uphuculo kwaye yacela uphicotho-zincwadi olutsha lukazwelonke ukuqinisekisa ukuba akukho zikolo ziphoswayo.
Ukusukela nge-31 kaMatshi 2025, i-DBE inike ingxelo yokuba iipesenti ezingama-96 zezikolo ezichongiweyo-malunga nama-3,231-ziye zatshintshwa izindlu zazo zangasese zemingxuma, ziye zatshintshwa ngezixhobo ezifanelekileyo zococeko. Oku kushiya izikolo ezili-141 zisaxhomekeke kwezi zakhiwo ziyingozi.
UMphathiswa uGwarube uchaze le nkqubela phambili njengempumelelo esondeleyo, esithi, “Sisondele ekupheliseni ngokupheleleyo kodwa ekugqibeleni siye sasilela nge-4% kwithagethi yethu.”
Wongeze ngelithi izikolo ezingama-90 ezishiyekileyo zisakhiwa, kwaye umsebenzi kulindeleke ukuba ugqitywe ngo-Julayi 2025, ngelixa izicwangciso zisendaweni yokujongana ne-51 yokugqibela kungekudala.
Nangona kunjalo, amanani awaxeli ibali lipheleleyo. Ngaphandle kokususa iipesenti ezingama-96 zezindlu zangasese, abantwana abathandathu basweleke kabuhlungu kwiziganeko ezinxulumene nezindlu zangasese zemingxuma ukusukela oko kwaqala iphulo le-SAFE, egxininisa ukungxamiseka kokugqiba lo msebenzi.
Ngaphandle kophicotho-zincwadi luka-2018, kukho uloyiko lokuba izikolo ezongezelelweyo, nokuba zisandula ukwakhiwa okanye zilahlekile kubalo lokuqala, zisasebenza ngezindlu zangasese zemingxuma. Ukujongana noku, uGwarube ubize uphicotho-zincwadi olutsha lukazwelonke, inyathelo athi liza kunika umfanekiso ocacileyo womceli mngeni ozayo.
Umhla wokugqibela ophosiweyo uye watsala ukugxekwa okubukhali kumaqela amalungelo oluntu kunye nabameli bezemfundo.
I-Amnesty International South Africa ivakalise ukuphoxeka okukhulu, yathi “Nangona kususwe iipesenti ezingama-96 zezindlu zangasese, abantwana abathandathu basweleke kabuhlungu, kwaye izikolo ezininzi zihlala zingenagutyulo olukhuselekileyo.”
Bathi ukuqhubeka kobukho bezindlu zangasese zomngxuma kuphula amalungelo abafundi omgaqo-siseko wokhuseleko, impilo kunye nesidima.
Kwangokunjalo, iCandelo lama-27, iziko lomthetho lo mdla woluntu, ligxeke i-DBE ngokunqo ngophala kwayo kokungxamiseka kunye nokungafihli.
“Ixesha elibekiweyo lifika kwaye lihambe, kodwa umngcipheko ebantwaneni uhlala,” utshilo isithethi, ebiza izibophelelo ezibophelelayo kunye nokubeka iliso elingcono.
Kwelinye icala, uMphathiswa uGwarube uhlala enethemba.
“Ndizimisele kakhulu ekuqinisekiseni ukuba akukho mntwana eMzantsi Afrika oza kuphinda asebenzise ucoceko olungakhuselekanga.”
Uthe kumsitho wakutshanje ePitoli, uye walatha kwinqanaba lokugqitywa kwe-90% njengobungqina bokuzimisela kwesebe kwaye wathembisa ukongamela inkqubela phambili kwithagethi ka-Julayi 2025.
UGwarube ukwaqaqambise indima ye-App ye-Safe Schools, eyasungulwa ngo-Disemba ka-2024, evumela abazali, ootitshala kunye namalungu oluntu ukuba baxele izindlu zangasese zomngxuma ngokuthe ngqo kwi-DBE, ukuqinisekisa ukuba akukho tyala liphoswayo.
