Thousands of children across Mpumalanga are attending schools that have deteriorated so badly that the provincial government says are no longer worth repairing and should instead be replaced.
The alarming disclosure emerged from figures tabled in the Mpumalanga Legislature on behalf of education MEC Lindi Masina, revealing that 61 schools have been classified as being in “very poor” condition, the lowest possible infrastructure rating under the province’s official assessment system.
The same figures show that another 577 schools have been rated “poor”, meaning they require significant renovation, refurbishment and rehabilitation due to ageing infrastructure and declining building conditions.
Taken together, the statistics mean 638 schools across the province are in urgent need of either major rehabilitation or outright replacement.
The revelations expose the scale of an infrastructure crisis unfolding in Mpumalanga’s classrooms, where thousands of pupils continue their education in facilities that official assessments have flagged as severely deteriorated.
In response to questions from Sunday World, Mpumalanga Department of Education spokesperson Jasper Zwane confirmed that the figures were extracted from the Education Facilities Management System (EFMS), the department’s official infrastructure monitoring and assessment platform.
“The figures presented in the legislature were extracted from the EFMS following comprehensive condition assessments conducted at schools across the province,” said Zwane.
He explained that the system evaluates schools according to their structural integrity, safety, functionality, and compliance with infrastructure norms and standards.
The most concerning findings relate to schools classified as “poor” and “very poor”.
“Schools classified as “poor” require significant renovations, refurbishments, and rehabilitation interventions due to ageing infrastructure and declining building conditions,” Zwane said.
The situation is even more severe for the 61 schools that received the lowest rating.
“These facilities have deteriorated to the extent that rehabilitation is no longer economically viable and replacement is often the most appropriate solution,” Zwane said.
“Based on the latest condition assessment, the department has identified 61 schools classified as ‘very poor’.
“These figures confirm the importance of sustained infrastructure investment and the need to accelerate rehabilitation and replacement programmes.”
The statistics were contained in a written legislative response tabled by health MEC Sasekani Manzini on behalf of Masina.
The figures show that only eight schools in Mpumalanga are classified as being in excellent condition. Another 247 are regarded as good, while 735 fall into the “fair” category.
Yet, the department’s own data suggests the province’s infrastructure challenges stretch far beyond a handful of problematic schools.
“The latest condition assessment indicates that 1 257 schools fall within categories requiring varying degrees of maintenance, rehabilitation or replacement interventions,” Zwane said.
Nkangala, Gert Sibande and Bohlabela districts have the highest concentration of schools classified as “poor” or “very poor”, he said.
According to Zwane, many of these schools are burdened by ageing infrastructure that has become unsafe and requires replacement.
“This is largely attributable to the fact that these districts have the highest number of schools in the province, coupled with the prevalence of ageing infrastructure structures that have been identified as unsafe and requiring replacement,” he said.
The department’s assessments identified extensive cracking, foundation settlements, deteriorating building components, and non-compliance with infrastructure norms and standards as among the most common problems affecting schools.
While the province has allocated R1.833-billion towards infrastructure delivery and maintenance programmes during the current financial year, only R301-million has been earmarked specifically for schools classified as “poor” and “very poor”.
The scale of the challenge is underscored by another figure contained in the department’s response: only eight schools have been rehabilitated or replaced during the past three financial years.
“While this progress may appear modest relative to the overall need, it demonstrates the department’s continued commitment to improving learning environments within available resources,” Zwane said.
The disclosure comes just months after basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube warned Parliament that Mpumalanga was among the provinces facing pressing infrastructure pressures due to high percentages of schools classified as “poor” and “fair”.
