PETITION SCHOOL PRETORIA NORTH

PRETORIA-NOORD BELASTINGBETALERS VERENIGING

‘N PETISIE RAKENDE ‘N ONWETTIGE SKOOL IN PRETORIA-NOORD/ A PETITION REGARDING AN UNLAWFUL SCHOOL IN PRETORIA NORTH 

Aan die inwoners van Pretoria – Noord

Ons almal is bewus daarvan dat Pretoria – Noord die laaste paar jaar gebuk gaan onder konstante infrastruktuurprobleme, wat soms die lewe vir ons inwoners byna ondraaglik maak.

Dit het onder die Pretoria-Noord Belastingbetalers Vereniging se aandag gekom, dat daar onwettige bouwerk in Jan van Riebeeckstraat, by die ou Bindco-gebou, in proses is, wat skynbaar ‘n voornemende skool is, wat sowat 800 leerders sal huisves.

1.     Na ondersoek het ons vasgestel dat hierdie gebou nie gesoneer is vir ‘n skool nie, daar geen bouplanne ingedien is nie en meer belangrik is dat daar geen impakstudie gedoen is nie, met ander woorde geen insae van die inwoners is verkry nie. Hierdie prosesse neem gewoonlik bykans twee jaar.

2.     Niemand ontken dat daar ‘n massiewe behoefte aan die bou van nuwe skole in die Noord is nie, maar dit is ‘n bekommernis vir die Belastingbetalers Vereniging dat:

(i) Die voorgenome skool, wat ‘n beweerde satellietskool van ‘n plaaslike Hoërskool is, volgens betroubare inligting 800 leerders gaan huisves, wat inwoners van die Noord se kinders sal wees. Dit is eenvoudig onmoontlik om eers ‘n agste van daardie hoeveelheid leerders, veilig en binne wetlike raamwerk by die eiendom te huisves. Ons praat hier van strukturele verslae (wat eenvoudig net nooit hierdie hoeveelheid kinders kan goedkeur nie), kapasiteitsverslae, wat insluit ‘n verslag wat die brandgevare op hierdie perseel sal uitlig en dan natuurlik die feit dat dit fisies onmoontlik is om enige sport of ander geriewe vir hierdie leerders in plek te plaas. Jan van Riebeeckstraat beskik nie oor parkering vir ouers wat kinders in spitstyd daar wil aflaai nie en gaan groter druk plaas op die kruising met Rachel De Beerstraat. Hierdie skool sal dus, by wyse van logiese afleiding, ‘n massiewe risiko daarstel vir leerders wat daar gehuisves sal word en ‘n massiewe druk op omliggende skole plaas. Pretoria-Noord kan eenvoudig net nie oop oë nog ‘n Vaal Driehoek- tragedie toelaat nie.

(ii)  Die voorgenome skool sal ‘n massiewe en baie negatiewe impak hê op die reeds sukkelende verkeersnetwerk in en om die duikweg. Dit sal basies onmoontlik word, om enigsins uit die Noord te kom in die oggend sou hierdie skool sy deure open. Dit sal vir inwoners onmoontlik word om by hul werk uit te kom en dit kan veroorsaak dat hier ‘n uittog uit Pretoria – Noord wees, wat almal se lewens negatief gaan raak.

(iii)  Die voorgenome skool sal ook addisionele druk plaas op die sukkelende kragnetwerk, die rioolsisteem in die omgewing, en ook die waternetwerk.

(iv) Die impak wat hierdie skool op plaaslike besighede sal hê, kan nie betwyfel word nie.

Die volgende probleme wat druk op die aangeleentheid kan plaas, kan as volg gelys word:

1 Die kragnetwerk in Pretoria – Noord is onder erge druk met beurtkrag, soms sal die krag net nie weer aanskakel nie.  Hierdie probleem is nie net aan sabotasie en kriminele elemente te wyte nie, maar ook weens ‘n falende kragsisteem in ons omgewing wat nie gebou is om die heeltyd aan- en afgeskakel te word nie.

2 Die watertoevoer is ook bykans permanent ‘n massiewe probleem in die Noord. Ons dink almal kan kennis neem daarvan dat daar bykans altyd, iewers in die Noord massiewe waterlekke is. Hierdie probleem is te wyte daaraan dat die munisipaliteit vir baie lank, sonder enige oorsig, ontwikkelling toegelaat het, sonder behoorlike beplanning, op ‘n waternetwerk wat verouderd is en nie hierdie druk kan hanteer nie.

3 Verdere groot kommer is die falende padnetwerk in Pretoria – Noord. Hierdie probleem kan aan ‘n verskeidenheid van rolspelers toegeskryf word:

3.1 Geen instandhouding van ons paaie van watter aard ookal nie. Ons dink almal in die Noord is bewus daarvan dat dit byna onmoontlik geraak het om met gewone voertuie in die Noord te ry, aangesien daar orals slaggate is, wat bloot net met grond toegemaak word. Baie van ons paaie, spesifiek in die omgewing van die duikweg, en om die voormalige Northpark, het haas onrybaar geword. 3.2 Verder het die druk op die verkeer die laaste paar jare dramaties vererger weens die vertragings in die voltooiing van die bushalte / sisteem agter die duikweg, geen beplanning nie, en beurtkrag.

3.3 Ons het van goeie gesag verneem, dat die hoeveelheid voertuie wat daagliks  deur die duikweg beweeg, meer as 20,000 per dag is.

4. Al hierdie faktore het dit bykans onmoontlik gemaak om meeste dae kinders by die plaaslike laerskool voor die duikweg af te laai, en om die Noord enigsins te verlaat. Ons is oortuig daarvan, dat heelwat mense kan getuig oor die frustrasie om by hul werk uit te kom elke oggend.  

‘n Plaaslike besigheid se regsspan is reeds in proses om regstukke te finaliseer vir ‘n dringende aansoek na die Hoogeregshof van Suid – Afrika (Gauteng Afdeling), om die onwettig bouwerk te stop, hangende verdere regstappe.

1. Niemand in die Noord (insluitende die PNBBV) is teen die bou van skole nie, maar spesifiek teen die open van ‘n skool by die Bindco- perseel aangesien dit eenvoudig nie in die beste belang van die kinders kan wees wat by daardie skool gehuisves sal word nie, en nie tot die voordeel van Pretoria – Noord se inwoners sal strek nie, maar tot hulle uiterste nadeel.

2.Verskeie gepaste persele is in die omgewing van Pretoria – Noord beskikbaar om skole te bou, maar het die Departement van Onderwys hom nie hiertoe gewend nie. Ten einde die plaaslike besigheid wat ‘n hofsaak gaan loods om die skoolprojek te stop, by te staan, is dit essensiëel dat hierdie onwettige bouprojek summier in sy spore gestuit word. Plaaslike besigheid kan dit nie alleen doen nie. Die betrokkenheid van die plaaslike gemeenskap en besighede is dringend nodig.

Hierdie betrokkenheid word op twee fronte benodig:

a. Inwoners en alle plaaslike besighede word dringend versoek om die aangehegte petisie te onderteken, waarin hul teenkanting teen die onwettige bou van hierdie (en geen ander) skool uitgespreek word.

b. Inwoners en plaaslike besighede word versoek om dringend bydraes te maak in die “Go fund Me”-FNB-rekening wat vir hierdie doeleinde geskep is, ten einde die PNBBV in staat te stel, om ‘n regsspan aan te stel om tussenbeide te tree in die verrigtinge wat geloods word, om namens die inwoners van Pretoria – Noord ons saak aan die hof te stel, oor waarom hierdie bouwerk nie toegelaat mag word, om voort te gaan nie.

c. Die dringende samewerking, as ‘n verenigde front van die hele Pretoria – Noord, sal hoog op prys gestel word.

d. Donasies sal verwelkom word om hierdie projek te finansier.

Bydraes kan in die volgende rekening betaal word:

PNBBV

FNB PRETORIA-NOORD

TJEKREKENING

REKENINGNOMMER: 63018272540

VERWYSING: SKOOL  

Die Uwe

Willie Cloete

Voorsitter – PNBBV

To the residents of Pretoria North

We are all aware that Pretoria North has been plagued by constant infrastructure problems over the past few years, which sometimes makes life almost unbearable for our residents.  

It has come to the attention of the Pretoria North Ratepayers Association that there is illegal construction in Jan van Riebeeck Street, at the old Bindco building, in process, which appears to be a prospective school, which will accommodate approximately 800 learners.

1.After investigation, we determined that this building was not zoned for a school, no building plans were submitted and more importantly that no impact study was conducted, in other words no perusal of the residents was obtained. These processes usually take almost two years.

2. No one denies that there is a massive need for building new schools in the North, but it is a concern for the Taxpayers Association that:

(i)The proposed school, which is an alleged satellite school of a local High School, will house 800 learners, according to reliable information, which will be residents of the North's children. It is simply impossible to house an eighth of those number of learners, safely and within legal framework at the property. We are talking here about structural reports (which simply can never approve this number of children), capacity reports, which include a report that will highlight the fire hazards on these premises and then of course the fact that it is physically impossible to put any sport or other facilities in place for these learners. Jan van Riebeeck Street does not have parking for parents who want to drop children off there during rush hour and will put greater pressure on the intersection with Rachel De Beer Street. This school will therefore, by way of logical deduction, pose a massive risk to learners that will be housed there and put a massive strain on surrounding schools. Pretoria North simply cannot allow open eyes another Vaal Triangle tragedy.

(ii) The proposed school will have a massive and very negative impact on the already struggling traffic network in and around the underpass. It would basically become impossible, to get out of the North at all in the morning should this school open its doors. It will become impossible for residents to get to their jobs, and this could lead to an exodus from Pretoria North, which will negatively affect everyone's lives.

(iii) The proposed school will also place additional pressure on the struggling power grid, the sewage system in the area, and also the water network.

(iv)The impact this school will have on local businesses cannot be doubted.

The following problems that may put pressure on the matter can be listed as follows:

1 The power grid in Pretoria North is under severe pressure with load shedding, sometimes the power just won't turn back on.  This problem is due not only to sabotage and criminal elements, but also to a failing power system in our area that is not built to be turned on and off all the time.

2 The water supply is also almost permanently a massive problem in the North. We think everyone can take note of the fact that there are massive water leaks almost always, somewhere in the North. This problem is due to the fact that for a very long time, without any oversight, the municipality allowed development, without proper planning, on a water network that is outdated and cannot cope with these pressures.

3 Further major concern is the failing road network in Pretoria North. This problem can be attributed to a variety of role-players:

3.1 No maintenance of our roads of any kind. We think everyone in the North is aware that it has become almost impossible to drive ordinary vehicles in the North, as there are potholes everywhere, which are simply closed with soil. Many of our roads, specifically in the vicinity of the subway, and around the former Northpark, have become hastily un-driveable.

3.2 Furthermore, the pressure on traffic has worsened dramatically in recent years due to delays in the completion of the bus stop/system behind the underpass, no planning, and load shedding.

3.3 We have learnt from good authority that the number of vehicles passing through the underpass daily is more than 20,000 per day.

4. All these factors made it almost impossible to drop off children at the local primary school in front of the subway most days, and to leave the North at all. We are convinced that many people can attest to the frustration of getting to their jobs every morning.  

A local business's legal team is already in process of finalising legal papers for an urgent application to the High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division), to stop the illegal construction, pending further legal action.

1. No one in the North (including the PNBBV) is against the construction of schools, but specifically against the opening of a school at the Bindco premises as it simply cannot be in the best interest of the children who will be housed at that school, and will not benefit Pretoria North residents, but to their utmost detriment.

2. Several appropriate sites are available in the vicinity of Pretoria North to build schools, but the Department of Education has not resorted to this.

In order to assist the local business that will be launching a court case to stop the school project, it is essential that this illegal construction project be stopped in its tracks. Local business cannot do it alone.

The involvement of the local community and businesses is urgently needed. This engagement is required on two fronts:

a. Residents and all local businesses are urgently requested to sign the attached petition, expressing their opposition to the illegal construction of this (and no other) school.

b. Residents and local businesses are requested to urgently make contributions in the Go fund Me FNB account created for this purpose, to enable the PNBBV, to appoint a legal team to intervene in the proceedings being launched, to present our case to court on behalf of the residents of Pretoria North, as to why this construction should not be allowed, to continue.

c. The urgent cooperation, as a united front of the whole of Pretoria North, will be highly appreciated.

d. Donations will be welcomed to fund this project.

Contributions can be paid into the following account:

PNBBV

FNB PRETORIA NORTH

CHEQUE ACCOUNT: 63018272540

ACCOUNT NUMBER: REFERENCE: SCHOOL  

Yours sincerely

Willie Cloete

Chairman - PNBBV 

PNBBV/WILLIE CLOETE    Contact the author of the petition