Update

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Calm prevails in Nekkies for the time being, following a protest on Friday, 11 May, which resulted in the temporary closure of the N2 between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.

The road was eventually opened shortly before 10:00 on Friday morning after traffic was halted in either direction for almost two hours.

Hundreds of parents – cheered on by school kids – blocked the road and burnt tyres, demanding an alleviation to their crisis emanating from no school busses being available to pick up their children due to the nationwide *bus strike that started in April.

According to Nekkies ANC ward councillor David Skosana, the problem has been brewing for a long time, especially because of the lack of schools in the area.

Major problem for community
“There is not one primary or secondary school in Nekkies, and it is a major problem for the community,” he said, speaking to the Knysna-Plett Herald on Monday this week.

“We were compelled to find a solution to this matter, and in this regard a meeting was held over the weekend between the Department of Education, community leaders, traffic department, SAPS, and the ANC leadership in the area. To this end, it was agreed between all parties that taxi operators will transport the children to school until the dispute with bus drivers is resolved. Thereafter, the transport will continue as normal,” he said.

Busses were expected to continue to transport children as from Wednesday 16 May.

Traffic was backed up for several kilometers following closure of the N2 at Nekkies on the morning of Friday 11 May.

Closest school kilometres away
There are at least 686 primary school children in Nekkies who attend school several kilometres away, with Tembelitsha Primary School in Concordia being the closest. The bus strike has resulted in them missing numerous weeks of school work – an unacceptable situation for parents of the learners.

So they took to the streets to be heard.

“The school principal is satisfied with the temporary solution that we have found,” Skosana said.

He added that he will meet with the municipality and the Department of Education on Wednesday 16 May to discuss the long-term solution of building a primary and secondary school in Nekkies for the community.

* The national bus strike came to an end earlier this week after workers accepted a wage hike of 9% for the first year and 8% for the second year. A resolution was also reached regarding the back pay of employees for the month of April, when the strike began.

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