Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, has lambasted some School Governing Bodies (SGBs) for refusing to open schools to accommodate the homeless amid the coronavirus lockdown.
On Thursday, Lesufi visited a site in the west of Pretoria, where about 400 homeless people have been moved to help slow the spread of COVID-19 infections.
He later took to twitter to express his dismay about SGBs refusing to open public assets, such as boarding schools, to help the needy.
They are advising their members to resist accommodating the homeless in a state property. pic.twitter.com/4w9owB1sZS
— Panyaza Lesufi (@Lesufi) April 1, 2020
However, the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of School Governing Bodies, Paul Colditz, says they have sympathy for the homeless.
“I am not aware of any SGB that has refused to do so. What has happened is that we sent a memo to our members that has been named as those targeted for such purposes to explain to them what the legal obligation is and said we are not unsympathetic to the plight of the homeless or those in this crisis, but there are certain legal requirements and processes that need to be followed. We said speak to the SGBs of the schools if you need to accommodate people in school hostels. “
