10 Sep 2026

 Mogoditshane/Thamaga District Council chairperson, Mr Molatedi Selala, has proposed the immediate closure of Thamaga Junior Secondary School over a persistent sewerage problem he considers a serious public health crisis.

Mr Selala made the suggestion when addressing a Full Council session, saying the situation posed a high risk to learners, neighbouring households and the wider community.

Inspections confirmed stagnant wastewater, offensive odours, mosquito breeding and contamination affecting neighbouring homes.

Mr Selala said the council could no longer continue relying on temporary measures to contain a problem that had persisted for years.

“The risk has been classified as high,” said Mr Selala, adding that the council had engaged both the school authorities and the leadership of the Department of Education on numerous occasions without a lasting solution.

He said the school currently required about 40 vacuum tanker loads of sewerage removal every month at a cost of P120,000, yet the underlying problem remained unresolved.

Mr Selala argued that continued expenditure on tanker services was not only draining council resources but also failing to eliminate the health threat.

“As the highest political authority of this Council, an institution entrusted with safeguarding public health, I propose the immediate closure of the school by our council until the ministry of education has fully addressed and rectified the sanitation problem at the school,” he said.

The proposal places the sanitation crisis at the centre of the council’s responsibilities for public health and raises questions about the sustainability of continuing to operate the school under the current conditions.

Mr Selala told councillors that the council was operating under a limited budget, with allocations remaining tight while maintenance costs, service demands and utility expenses continued to rise.

He called for greater efficiency across departments and said resources had to be directed toward projects that delivered maximum value to residents.

Meanwhile, the chairperson said maternal health outcomes remained strong, with zero maternal deaths reported, while institutional deliveries had increased and born-before-arrival cases had declined.

However, routine child immunisation had fallen significantly below target, while medicine availability from Central Medical Stores had dropped below 50 per cent, resulting in shortages of essential supplies including oral rehydration salts and zinc. 

The developments underline the broader pressure facing local health and public service systems as the council seeks to stretch limited resources across competing needs, Mr Selala said. ENDS