PIETERMARITZBURG, KwaZulu-Natal – The educational continuity at Funulwazi Primary School in Imbali hangs in the balance as parents and school leadership unite in protest against persistent criminal activity that has left the campus without electricity for over two years.
Since 2023, repeated theft of electrical cables has severed the school’s power supply, creating significant obstacles for educators and learners alike. The situation escalated this week when parents gathered for a peaceful demonstration, urging authorities to implement lasting solutions.
A spokesperson for the school’s governing body highlighted the cyclical nature of the challenge: “While the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has previously stepped in to restore electricity, acts of vandalism have repeatedly returned the school to darkness.” The spokesperson emphasized that school-owned infrastructure remains a frequent target, undermining repair efforts and draining limited resources.
Security arrangements have also fallen short of expectations. Despite the presence of a contracted security firm, unauthorized entries and property damage continue to plague the campus. “We are still experiencing break-ins at the school. We are experiencing vandalism,” the spokesperson reported, noting that the safety of both facilities and the educational environment remains at risk.
Parents attending the picket expressed particular concern about the broader implications of the damaged infrastructure. Even with school gates secured during operational hours, the compromised facilities and insufficient protective measures create an unstable learning atmosphere. The governing body has formally requested that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education prioritize sustainable interventions to protect the school’s assets and ensure uninterrupted educational delivery.
Community members stress that without coordinated action from provincial authorities, the cycle of theft, repair, and re-vandalism will continue to disadvantage learners at Funulwazi Primary. The protest underscores a growing call for integrated strategies that address both immediate security needs and long-term infrastructure resilience in vulnerable school communities.