After officials prepared for a ministerial visit to address serious issues at Greenville Primary School, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube was not seen, deepening concerns about the school's neglect.
For years, Greenville Primary School in Gkebarha has struggled with vandalism, crumbling infrastructure and chronic neglect. Two of its three classroom blocks are abandoned, the entire school is without electricity, and student toilets are so damaged that they cannot be used.
On Friday, 29 May 2026, teachers and members of the school's governing body spent the morning preparing for a ministerial visit, hoping that it would finally provide an opportunity to express their concerns and allow the minister to visit the school first-hand and see the extent of its long-standing deterioration, safety issues, vandalism and neglect.
But as the school day wore on, teachers and governing body members – who have been facing one disappointment after another from government officials over the years – got another blow when Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and his delegation were not there.
Greenville, a fee-free primary school in the northern areas of Gqebarha, was quietly removed from the minister's itinerary during his visit to the town.
Gwarube was in Gkebarha to conduct a school safety visit as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the safety and well-being of learners and teachers in schools.
He was accompanied by several of his DA colleagues, including from the Eastern Cape…