Court orders Tshwane to restore power to schools

By Levy Masiteng 

The High Court in Pretoria has ordered the City of Tshwane to restore electricity to schools that were cut off over unpaid property rates.

 Laerskool Wierdapark and AfriForum brought the urgent application this week.

The matter was heard on Tuesday.

AfriForum said several schools were disconnected, despite having paid their electricity accounts in full. It said school governing bodies are responsible for paying for services such as electricity and water, while property rates are meant to be dealt with by “the authorities”.

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AfriForum’s head of cultural affairs, Alana Bailey, said the disconnections had disrupted teaching and placed learners and staff at risk.

“It is unfair that learners and staff’s rights to have access to quality education, safety, and even the provision of their basic needs are being violated due to the authorities’ maladministration. At the affected schools, teaching could