Learners at some of schools in the Mankweng area outside Polokwane in Limpopo, where a group calling itself a business forum spilled school nutrition food, say they are shocked by the incident.
The group that is allegedly demanding tenders to supply food, targeted about ten schools and disrupted the feeding scheme on Wednesday.
The Limpopo Education Department says cases of malicious damage to property have been opened.
Department Spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, says it is worrying that the incidents happened during Child Protection Week.
“Quite a sad experience that this is happening during the Child Protection Week and we should be very worried if we have such people in our communities; people who can go to a point of spilling food that children are expecting to eat. The forum was engaged by the representatives from the department earlier in the month and they were advised on how they can do business with the schools and that’s why we are appalled and condemn in the strongest possible terms their recent actions,” says Chuene.
Learners at Makgwadiba Primary and Mmamabudusha High at Ga-Motholo village are among those affected.
“I attend Makgwadiba Primary School. Those people spilled our food, swore at our principal and assaulted teachers. We were then released early for home. They also threw soil at cars belonging to some of the teachers. I was so scared because they even pushed me and I hit a door. We ran away.”
Another learner shares what happened, “I’m a learner at Mmamabudusha High. They kicked the pots and spilled our food. It hurts us because we can’t concentrate without eating.”
