JOHANNESBURG — Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has issued a strict ultimatum to local municipalities regarding school electricity cut-offs, demanding the immediate reconnection of power to affected educational facilities. Emphasizing that schools must not be treated as easy targets for municipal revenue collection, Maile warned that failure to restore electricity to learning institutions could result in legal action against the offending municipalities.
The controversy arises as learners across the province face basic service threats, ranging from water and electricity cuts to crumbling infrastructure. According to Maile, the provincial education department already allocates specific funds directly to schools to cover their water and electricity expenses. Furthermore, the department is actively working on initiatives to take schools off the municipal grid entirely to avoid these disputes. He condemned the recent power disconnections as “irresponsible” and “reckless,” stating that such actions demonstrate a glaring lack of leadership from local authorities. While the department urges schools to pay their utility bills using the provided funds, Maile stressed that municipalities cannot be allowed to disrupt educational environments.
Beyond the utility disputes, the Gauteng Education MEC highlighted a massive infrastructure backlog that continues to place immense pressure on the province’s education system. This deficit has left too few classrooms available to accommodate a rapidly growing number of learners, directly driving severe overcrowding. Maile noted that if the infrastructure crisis is not urgently resolved, the department will remain unable to effectively tackle the escalating overcrowding issue.
The infrastructure challenges also extend to a critical shortage of basic classroom furniture, with many students forced to learn without proper desks and chairs. Maile pointed out that this lack of basic resources has created tense environments in certain communities, acting as a catalyst for fights and escalating crime and violence within school grounds.
To combat the rising tide of school violence, the department is implementing a robust safety strategy built on seven pillars, which is currently under review. In the interim, authorities are stepping up security through both announced and unannounced search and seizure raids. These operations have already been launched at various institutions, including Badirile Secondary School in Khutsong and several other schools in Orange Farm, and are set to continue across the province.
Meanwhile, the provincial education department is facing additional logistical pressures as online registration for the 2027 academic year—specifically for Grades 1 and 8—is currently underway. Department officials now face the daunting task of ensuring that every eligible pupil is successfully enrolled and placed, despite the systemic challenges and limited resources at their disposal.