We have friends whose family lives in Olifantshoek. They tell me the kids there have not been to school in three months due to the unrest and vandalism. But they say they think the Department has not even been out there yet to inspect. Is this going to be the same story as seen in how the police ONLY got involved when the ANC mayor's house was burned but before then did nothing? I am sure there are ANC kids in these schools too, not being educated presently... but that is not the point. This is. There are KIDS that are not being educated presently!

We are deeply concerned about the messy situation of primary and high schooling in Olifantshoek. Schooling has come to a complete standstill following the service delivery protest.

Leadership in the Northern Cape has done very little to address the situation. The acting Premier, Grizelda Cjiekella, who also happens to be the MEC of Education, has thus far not responded to the plight of the learners, educators and parents who are concerned about their children’s future. Her response would have alleviated the problem. It is a concern for all of us that the youth are now taking over due to a lack of adult leadership.

THE MAJOR concern is the education of learners. They have still not written June tests or exams, yet the department fails to view this in a serious light. It is also highly questionable as to whether the affected schools received the necessary learning material. Furthermore, the support that the educators are supposed to receive in terms of guidance with regards to CAPS and so forth, is non-existent.

The important message should be: Let us not interrupt schooling. We want learners, our future educators, to be educated and not hooligans. Let us collectively ensure that education should not be hindered.

Parents who want to see their children success, would meet with the strike leadership and take the education problem to the table. Learners’ education should not be interrupted by issues that have nothing to do with education.

Let me remind you where these treasured kids hail from...

The San are the aboriginal people of South Africa. Their culture stretches back over 20 000 years, and their genetic origins reach back over one million years. Recent research indicates that the San are the oldest genetic stock of contemporary humanity.

Some of the few surviving aboriginal South African San are being discussed here. Approximately 1 500 adults are spread over an area of more than 1 000 km in the Northern Cape Province. They live in the northern reaches of Gordonia, at Witdraai, Askham, Welkom, Rietfontein and surrounding villages. Others live in and around Upington and OLIFANTSHOEK.

They are some of our rarest treasures - we need to honor them and NOT IGNORE them!

I trust that parents will stand up for the future of their children. This situation could have been resolved two months ago, when the community leadership first requested their input. But if the provincial leadership, Premier and MEC’s are unable to bring the local leadership together around a table, then it shows that they are not really interested in community issues.

(Information summarized from http://www.dampl.co.za/category/education,​ http://www.sasi.org.za/who-is-the-san.php and news sites like http://kathugazette.co.za/2012/05/poor-service-delivery-sparks-protest-action)