/ 25 February 2000

FARM SCHOOLS FACE CLOSURE

THE Transvaal Agricultural Union has warned that many of the estimated 4000 farm schools in South Africa may be forced to close down because of government negligence. TAU Mpumalanga spokesman, Theo Wassenaar, said many farm schools lack infrastructure like electricity and sewage systems and the department also fails to maintain them. “Farmers and government differ on who should be responsible for the maintenance of the schools. As a result, many of the schools have already closed due to health hazards.”