The police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, confirms that the protest started at the Relekile High School on Wednesday morning and that the police were attacked, and the roads were barricaded with stones, rubbish, and burning tyres. He says the situation is still tense but under control, as the police and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members are deployed to monitor the area. 

Meanwhile, the provincial Education Department's spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, says the department will make arrangements and allow the grade 12s, who missed the exams due to the protests, to write it in October.

Ndaba says the department is concerned that the residents have targeted the grade 12s whereas the protests are not education-related. He says the department had hoped that the learners will continue the exam on Wednesday. He emphasised that the community leaders should be aware that the schools have already lost a lot of time due to the coronavirus pandemic. He also mentioned that the grade 12s will still write the full syllabus despite the loss of time due to the coronavirus pandemic. He says the department urges these community members to stop disrupting learning activities, especially of the grade 12s, to write their exams.

OFM News