About 5 000 high school pupils from across Gauteng brought traffic to a standstill in central Johannesburg on Tuesday, demanding the implementation of recovery plans after the public-service strike, metro police said.
The pupils were led by the Congress of South African Students (Cosas).
The president of Cosas, Kenny Motshegoa, said pupils affected by the strike marched to the department of education in Commissioner Street and handed over a memorandum stating their grievances.
”Pupils are fearful that if they do not get any form of extra work done, then they might fail at the end of the year.
”An immense amount of work still needs to be done,” he said.
The youngsters took to the streets at 10am and marched through Commissioner, Harrison, Wolmarans and De Villiers streets before handing in the memorandum.
”The students need some sort of extraordinary commitment by the department that something will be done soon,” said Motshegoa.
Metro police dispersed the students much later in the day.
Metro police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said he could not confirm that any disruption had taken place.
The department of education could not be reached for comment.
Arrests
Meanwhile, 43 pupils were arrested on Tuesday for stoning a headmaster and police officers at Mohlakeng near Randfontein, West Rand police said.
Captain Joseph Mogoai said a number of pupils from Thutolehakoe and Phahama high schools were on their way to the march organised by the Cosas.
The pupils entered AB Phokompe High School, also in Mohlakeng, where they disrupted classes and demanded that the pupils at the school join them.
Mogoai said when the pupils and the principal refused, the protesting pupils started throwing stones at them.
Police were called in, but the pupils continued throwing stones, injuring one officer and damaging two police vehicles.
Police used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd and arrested 43 pupils. — Sapa