Bishop Lavis community to protest reopening of schools

The group's Rodney Zeeberg said that grade 7 and matric pupils were being led to the 'slaughterhouse'.

CAPE TOWN - The Bishop Lavis community is gearing up to protest on Monday when schools reopen, saying that schools in the area are 'simply not ready.

The group plans to demonstrate at a few primary and secondary institutions in the area next week.

They're concerned about the number of positive cases in the Tygerberg district which they fall under, with more than 2,700 cases, and staff at schools in the province being infected with the virus.

The group's Rodney Zeeberg said that grade 7 and matric pupils were being led to the "slaughterhouse".

"I think the main issues to avert an impending health crisis that could affect our children especially. With the rising infections we've heard about, there are schools where there've been positive cases amongst SMT members, even before the schools reopened."

Zeeberg added that social distancing in classrooms of 40 or more was actually a pipe dream and he believed that there were just not sufficient health measures in place.

"We had individual discussions with teachers who had not received any hand sanitisers, they do not have any personal protective equipment and then of course what we do know is that social distancing will be virtually impossible in overcrowded schools.

"Our main concern, first and foremost, is to ensure the safety of our children and the vulnerable communities with whom they come into contact with."