On a day that marked the region’s back-to-school campaign, Braamfischerville Primary School was officially launched by Gauteng MEC of Education, Matome Chiloane.
However, the event was overshadowed by a significant standoff between the school’s department and local residents, who vehemently opposed the proposed renaming of the school to honour Joe Mpisi.
Accompanied by MEC for Infrastructure Development, Jacob Mamabolo, and City of Johannesburg Council Speaker, Nobuhle Mthembu, Chiloane faced a divided community.
Enoch Maluadzi, a prominent community member, expressed the collective sentiments of many residents.
“We fought hard for the school to be as beautiful as it is today. We have no knowledge of who Joe Mpisi is, and we were never consulted about the renaming, which is why we could not allow for the school to be named after someone we don’t know,” Maluadzi stated, articulating a narrative of exclusion and frustration.
Despite the turmoil surrounding the name change, the school’s inauguration featured numerous joyous faces from parents whose children were excited to start their academic journey.
Bonginkosi Madida, a local resident, reflected on a smooth registration process saying: “I can’t complain as there were no issues with the school’s registration process. My grandchild is ready to start Grade 1, and the teachers were very helpful. I spent less than an hour here after being at the school at 7am; it’s now 8am and I’m ready to go back home.”
However, not all experiences were positive. Several parents were disappointed after being informed that their Grade R children were not successfully registered and were asked to return on Thursday.
One parent, wishing to remain anonymous, voiced their dissatisfaction, saying: “We have been told to come back tomorrow because they are still dealing with the children on the approved list of Grade R learners. We would have preferred they deal with our issues today, as my child has yet to receive approval to enrol.”
Another parent, Maria Mbele, expressed deep frustration as she navigates bureaucratic hurdles with the Department of Social Development, which has withheld her foster child’s birth certificate.
“I was told to come back tomorrow and I’m hopeful that my issue will be resolved by then, as my child needs to start school as well,” Mbele remarked, blending hope with anxiety.
Amidst the turmoil, Mthembu encouraged new students to embrace their learning journey, saying: “This school represents freedom to the learners. Embrace the opportunity it presents and strive for excellence.”
Mamabolo commended the promises of quality education inherent in the school, elaborating on the financial commitment to education infrastructure, stating: “Our department is the one that built this school. We take pride after being given R1.5 billion to build modern infrastructure for quality learning.”
Chiloane, while urging the community to safeguard the school, questioned the anticipation of vandalism: “There are many schools in and around here. They are not broken into. Why must the SGB and principal fear that the school will be vandalised?”
His plea highlighted the need for community vigilance over the investment made for their children’s future.