Gogo Nonyane ya Metsi: Week of 16–22 February 2026
February 16, 2026
Mayor urges renewed focus on water security in Mopani
February 18, 2026
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for urgent intervention to address what it describes as unacceptable learning conditions at Mpfariseni Secondary School.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, DA representatives Jacques Smalle and Desiree van der Walt said the party will formally write to the Limpopo Department of Education Head of Department, Maropene Seshibe, to urgently provide mobile classrooms and resolve serious staffing challenges at the school.
This follows a DA oversight inspection conducted on 16 February 2026, which revealed severe overcrowding, critical staff shortages, unsafe and dilapidated infrastructure, and a lack of basic resources. The inspection was carried out after reports emerged about the deteriorating conditions at the school.
According to the DA, Mpfariseni Secondary School is facing a major shortage of qualified educators, particularly in key gateway subjects such as Mathematics, Science and Agriculture. The school should have at least 11 teachers, but currently only has six. As a result, parents are reportedly using their own limited resources to pay for a qualified Mathematics educator to teach learners over weekends.
The inspection further revealed that the school’s infrastructure is in a dangerous state. Several classroom buildings are old, neglected and unsafe for learners. Due to a shortage of classrooms, overcrowding has become severe, with 123 Grade 12 learners reportedly sharing a single classroom. When classes split into different subjects, some learners are forced to attend lessons outside or in unsafe, dilapidated classrooms.
The DA said the situation at the school reflects a broader failure by the provincial education department to maintain and upgrade school infrastructure. It cited reports indicating that more than half of the 3,800 schools under the department’s control are on a priority list for renovations, demolition or rebuilding — a situation the party described as a sign of long-term neglect and poor planning.
The party stressed that the constitutional obligation to provide basic education goes beyond placing learners in schools, and must include adequate staffing, safe classrooms and proper facilities that support effective learning.
“The DA remains committed to fighting for quality education in a safe and dignified environment for all learners,” the statement said.
