The opening of the brand new primary school in Cato Crest has brought a lot of smiles to poor families in the area. The opening of the school guarantees that all children of school going age have access to an education as enshrined in the constitution of this country. What’s more is that it is within walking distance of their homes.

Cato Crest Primary Number 5, as it is known, replaces the old wooden structure - Epulangweni - that served the pupils until now. The wooden structure was commandeered by desperate parents after it was left unoccupied shortly after the first democratic elections.

Parents who were eager to educate their children had to eke out of their already exhausted pockets to pay for the teachers, buy stationery and furniture.

Life in the wooden structure was miserable. Classrooms were overcrowded – two grades would sit in one classroom facing in opposite directions.

Thanks to funding provided by the European Union for the new school, the children will now enjoy the comfort of a safe and healthy learning environment. The new school is built with modern specifications, has 16 classrooms and can easily accommodate 300 learners.

It not only provides relief for parents whose children had to endure life at Epulangweni, but it also means an end to commuting to schools as far away as Overport and Sydenham.

Commented Mr Makhoba, father of Skhumbuzo, who took his son to register: “I am glad that this school is opening. It means I will not have to worry about the safety of my son each time he leaves home for school and I will spend less on his bus fare. But my concern is based on the medium of instruction and the quality of learning that he will receive here.”

At the time of going to press the school had not received its stationery and furniture. Added to that problem was the lack of sufficient teaching staff. Only four teachers and the principal had been deployed at the new school.

Another Taxi War Looms

It appears as if the taxi wrangle between Chesterville Taxi Association and the Umkhumbane Taxi Association (formerly known as Cato Manor Taxi Association) is far from being over. This time the strife between the two taxi associations is caused by a ruling from the Provincial Taxi Office in Pietermaritzburg which has awarded a much contested route to both associations.

The contested route is the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital route, which both associations applied for. The Chesterville Taxi Association was allowed to ferry passengers from the Chesterville precinct and drop them off at the hospital and vice versa. However this decision does not sit well with the Cato Manor Taxi Association, as they want exclusive use of the route.

At the moment the bone of contention is the geographical situation of the hospital. According to the new unicity demarcations the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital falls within Ward 29. Chesterville, KwaMasixhawulane, Nsimbini, Umkhumbaan and Bonela are parts of Ward 29, but taxis travelling to the hospital from this ward have to go through Bellair Road - which belongs to Cato Manor Taxi Association and is under Ward 30.

Meetings involving councillors for both wards to resolve the issue have failed to come up with a working solution. A private security company was hired to ensure that the two association do not come to blows when they carry passengers to the hospital. They both drop passengers off and pick them up at the same point during morning and afternoon peak hours.

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