Fortunately, I just came across that problem on this issue when I visited Hazyview in Mpumalanga. There was a community meeting that was also attended by MECs from Mpumalanga, therefore, we are aware of the problem. The MEC for Education disclosed to us that just in Mpumalanga alone, there are 57 000 school kids who are undocumented and they are at school. Now, I am fortunate because I lived in that area around Bushbuckridge for quite some time, immediately when I left medical school.
This problem happened because it's a historical problem of what happened in Mozambique during the Renamo War, and we are very much alive and sensitive to that. We are aware that many of the kids may not even go back home because they don't know where home is. The original person who came here in 1980 is gone, and the child who was born in South Africa is a South African. So, we are going to do a special dispensation for them. But in the meantime, what I noticed to be wrong is to find out that some schools are actually sending them back home.
My position on this matter is this, Chairperson, that whether the child is documented, undocumented, migrant, illegal, official or all of that, no child must be deprived an opportunity of going to school, regardless of their circumstances. It is counterproductive and it's against international convention. [Applause.] So, I have already given a notice on the issue because I know that it will affect mostly kids from Mpumalanga. But I was told that even the Eastern Cape is affected.
I thought the problem is only Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal, but I now I understand that this problem is all over the country. I want to meet with the MECs so that we, as adults can sit and solve our problems and leave the kids to attend school, because some of them never participated in these problems, whether they are illegal or not. So, that is my position. When I raised my position in Hazyview, I was told that the reason that teachers and principals are sending the kids home is because they are scared of Home Affairs inspectors who always come to school to check what is happening.
I made an announcement in that meeting, but I was told that I need to write a circular. I responded that we will consult first in MinMECs, and that I will ask Minister Motshekga to allow me to address the MinMECs in order for me to issue a circular. When I
heard that they are scared of Home Affairs inspectors I said, but we've got so much illegality in the country. Why should Home Affairs inspectors spend time in schools when they've got so much work and there are few of them?
So, I said that I will instruct them to get out of schools and leave those kids alone. We as adults should be able solve those problems for those kids. In short, I don't want any child not to go to school simply because they are not documented and that they don't even know where they come from, that will be punishing children. That is my view, and I will be discussing it with my counterparts. We will allow them to attend school, while we sort the problem out. Even if it takes five years to eventually document that child.
You can imagine, if we eventually document them after five years and they were not at school, it would mean that they have lost and we can't cover that time. So, it will be better that they continue at school while we are struggling with investigations and documentation. That will be my official position, and I want to convey this position to my colleagues, the MECs in provinces, and say that we are not going to send any Home Affairs inspectors to trouble them anymore, because we know the existence of this problem. Thank you.
Question 38: