Students erupt over 2010 World cup stadium

The flames of acrimony have erupted in Nelspruit as students burnt tyres and demonstrated angrily at the 2010 World Cup site in the town while demonstrating over the demolition of two schools on the construction area.

More than 1 280 students from the Cyril Clarke Secondary and John Mdluli Primary were promised alternate permanent schools two years ago.

Instead they remain ensconced in cramped, poorly-equipped temporary occupation without ventilation and their anger erupeted after two weeks of protests when sections of a makeshift library were burnt and a convoy of students marched on the Mbomela Stadium site.

DA Provincial Leader and spokesman on education in Mpumalanga, Anthony Benade, said tyres had been burnt during demonstrations at the 2010 Stadium site and a number of the school children had later been arrested.

Benade said he was shcoked that the two schools vacated in 2006 to make way for the Mbombela Stadium were still making use of temporary class rooms.

South African 2010 Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan said the entire Mbombela Stadium project was in the hands of the Mpumalanga Government - but he would look into the matter of the displaced schools.

"It is horrific," said Benade, "that the 2010 World Cup, which will make history for South Africa and the Mpumalanga Province, is being tainted and becoming a nightmare to thousands of scholars as a result of the Education Department's lack of planning.

"Now, instead of fast-tracking on this very delicate issue," said the DA's Provincial leader, "they are planning to move the present temporary structures to another temporary location - something that will only exacerbate the problem and discontent.

"While the success of 2010 is critical for the country," added Benade, "it should not be achieved at the expense of the country's citizens -least of all school children."

The DA leader said numerous attempts at alleviating the problem with joint action had proved futile.

"Two years after the dismantling of the schools," he added, "the replacements have not even passed the planning stage."

Sapa