KZN Education to settle R32m PMB utility school debt
The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal says it will pay the outstanding debts of 23 schools in Pietermaritzburg.
Earlier this week, the schools had their water disconnected by Msunduzi Municipality, who said it was owed a total of R32 million.
Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi says they are also engaging the city to deal with illegal electricity connections.
READ: Indebted PMB schools face water, electricity cuts
"If you go to these schools, you will see that they are surrounded by informal settlements.
"When you go to schools during the weekends or holidays when schools are closed you will see the meters are running very speedily, which is an indication that there is utilisation of water and electricity, and you will see cables crossing the streets coming from the schools. It is a matter that we are attending to."
Mahlambi says the disconnection has led to affected schools conducting learning for only half of the school day.
ALSO READ: Pupils will suffer if PMB schools disconnected, warns SADTU
He says they are hoping to reconnect municipal services to all schools by next week.
"We can't afford that more especially with exams coming, but we do have a recovery plan. But we don't want to put our learners under a lot of pressure when they have to cover the lost time."
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