The very first steps of building a new school for Kayamandi has begun.
During the October council meeting of the Stellenbosch Municipality, the council voted to release a portion of local land for the development of a school by an NPO.
Last year, the council resolved an in principle decision to dispose of two portions of land which form part of the Kayamandi Northern Extension, earmarked for “educational purposes”.
A public participation process was started to get input from the local community but no comment was received.
Now council has agreed to make one portion of land, portion 11 of Farm 183 Stellenbosch, available.
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Two parcels, one viable
According to Councillor Lwando Nkamisa, who tabled the item, the second portion of land, portion 17 of Farm 183 Stellenbosch, was not suitable for development as it does not currently have municipal services.
He said the second parcel of land will remain undeveloped until services have been connected and that a discussion will be had about the disposal of that portion of land in future.
According to the agenda item, the Kayamandi area currently has a crisis in primary school education “due to the number of learners far outweighing the capacity of the schools in the area and the availability of land to construct new schools”.
Ward 12 councillor Ayanda Tomose welcomed the council’s decision, saying there is great need in the township for additional schools as most schools in the area are already feeling the pressure of high learner numbers.
“Our [ANC] caucus deliberated on the item and agreed there is a need for a new school in Kayamandi, given the [high] intake that is happening in the existing schools. We thus support the initiative because it will offload [sic] the intake in the current school. We are going to assist council in the next administration to ensure that the services are installed on the second plot,” Tomose said.
The item was passed with 34 votes with four votes in absentia.
