Jobs row: Residents threaten to stop new school from opening

THERE was a heavy police presence as disgruntled residents from Ward 12 in Galeshewe confronted their ward councillor at the new state-of-the-art Kimberley Academy Primary School, accusing him of unfair labour practices and nepotism.

The group of irate residents demanded jobs and accused the councillor, Isaac Ruiter, of appointing members of his circle as general workers at the school.

They vowed that the school would not open for the new academic year on Wednesday if their grievances were not addressed.

According to the residents, they only saw the advertised job posts on the day that interviews were conducted.

They also claimed that the hiring processes followed were flawed because the list of people who reported for work was already made public before the day of the interviews.

They believed that people from outside their ward and the neighbouring Ward 4 were not supposed to be employed as general workers at the school.

The residents said that they are the custodians of the project and thus feel entitled to get first preference when it comes to jobs, as well as receiving updates on the project.

One of the residents said they learned that the interviews were “just a formality” and that the list of beneficiaries was formalised a long time ago.

“That was before the interviews were conducted. We thus went to the councillor for confirmation, but he was arrogant with us. That is why we came here: to see whether the same people on the published list would be the ones reporting for duty. And that is exactly what happened,” said the community member.

The police were called after the group of residents assembled outside the school premises early on Monday morning.

The residents said that their intentions were peaceful and they felt “threatened” by the heavy police presence at the school.

“More than 10 police vehicles suddenly showed up, while more than 10 officers arrived on foot. It's not like we were blocking the road or burning tyres. We are peacefully exercising our rights of looking for jobs and demanding answers from our ward councillor. That is because he never calls meetings to update us on anything,” said one of the residents.

“We are hungry for jobs and harmless, protesting peacefully next to the road.”

They added that an official from the Department of Education addressed them and explained that the police were called after threats were made that the group was going to engage in a violent protest action.

The residents, however, threatened to take a “more radical approach” if the ANC or a more senior person did not address their grievances.

“We don't want to go that route, but this school will not open if we are not being listened to.

“We voted for Ruiter and campaigned for him during cold weather and in the dark. This is how he repays us after we convinced the community to vote for him?

“We all vote for the ANC, like him, and volunteered for it, but when jobs become available they get allocated to only card-carrying members and those connected to Ruiter.

“It’s not that we are useless. We are qualified and sitting with diplomas and degrees, but are overlooked.

“Most of the people who are still working on the project are from outside provinces, while community members from the ward were fired one after the other.”

Ruiter meanwhile dismissed the accusations, including that he had any influence on the hiring process.

He explained that the posts were advertised late in 2023 and the applicants were interviewed two weeks ago, without him having a say, due to it being an “administrative issue”.

“It was also my wish for my ward to get preference in this employment but, unfortunately, it was a process of the Department of Education,” said Ruiter.

“There was a long list of applicants, then the sifting, then the shortlisting, and then the interviews whereby people were hired.

“The posts were only for 12 general workers and are limited for now.”

Ruiter added that all due processes were followed and that he wanted to see a smooth opening for the new state-of-the-art school.

“I don’t want our people to risk chasing our communities away from this school because there is this perception that township schools do not teach. This school cost approximately R300 million and is similar to Kimberley Junior School.

“As a member of the community, I would like to see our people employed, but the posts are limited for now.

“The ward consists of approximately 9,000 people and there were 12 posts advertised, which received about 4,000 applications. All 12 posts can’t only be absorbed by the ward. They must remember that this is not only a Ward 12 school. It is in the Sol Plaatje sub-region and has to cater for the Frances Baard region and the whole of the Northern Cape Province.

“A councillor doesn’t give jobs but advocates for his or her people to get opportunities. That is how the process unfolds. I didn't have a hand in the selection as to who must be hired or who should not be hired. There have, however, been people from the ward who have been hired.”