‘The lockdown is essentially over’ – EFF fume over latest school plans

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have reiterated their opposition to the reopening of schools during the COVID-19 crisis, slamming plans from the Department of Education to bring more children back to class next week. Six grades and two pre-school year groups are set to return on a staggered timetable on Monday 6 July.

Which grades return to school on Monday 6 July?

Angie Motshekga has since reaffirmed that pre-Grade R, Grade R, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 6, Grade 10 and Grade 11 students are all returning to an official learning environment next week. This, despite South Africa going head-first into its COVID-19 peak. Over 8 000 new infections were reported on Wednesday.

The department is adamant that now is the right time for schools to reopen, but the EFF is furious with these proposals. Mmusi Maimane also lost a last-minute court bid to prevent the next ‘back to school’ phase from taking part on Monday, as the decision remains extremely divisive.

EFF outraged by ‘back to school’ plans

In a statement issued on Thursday, the EFF made a series of verbose statements that ripped into Motshekga and her colleagues. They labelled the minister ‘homicidal’, and claimed that the move is a deliberate ploy to effectively ‘end the lockdown in South Africa’.

“The decision to reopen schools for more grades essentially ends the lockdown because the Department of Basic Education wants to engage in a dangerous experiment by putting six million learners at risk of contracting COVID-19, and yet, thousands of schools still do not have running water.”

“Schools have barely been able to cope since the return of Grades 7 and 12. The EFF states that, if it is safe for millions of learners to return to classrooms, the same must be for Members of Parliament, Provincial Legislatures and municipal councils. They are currently working from the comfort of their own homes.”

EFF statement on more grades returning to school next week
  • You can read the full statement from the EFF here:


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