Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has described the burning of desks and chairs at Eastbank High School in Alexandra as unacceptable, warning that vandalism is worsening resource shortages at the already overcrowded school.
An Alexandra high school already struggling with severe overcrowding and a shortage of more than 1,200 desks has lost additional furniture to vandalism after learners set fire to desks and chairs on school grounds.
The incident at Eastbank High School has drawn sharp criticism from Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile, who described the destruction as a setback for a school already under immense pressure.
According to the Gauteng Department of Education, four desks and two chairs were destroyed in a fire on Tuesday, prompting a criminal case of malicious damage to property and internal disciplinary action against learners linked to the incident.
The vandalism has highlighted the scale of infrastructure challenges facing the school, which was built to accommodate approximately 1,200 learners but currently serves 2,063 pupils, 863 more than its intended capacity.
