The situation in the Kuruman area has returned to normal, subsequent to a decision taken by the Road Forum to allow learners to go back to class for the 2015 academic year. This took place against the background of no examinations having been written in the past year in all the grades, including the matric learners who were de-registered for the 2014 examinations by the Northern Cape Education Department. The reason put forward was that too much class room time was lost and therefore no catch up plan will prepare the learners sufficiently for the final examinations.

The matric learners have been re-registered to write their final examinations early in the year as part time learners. What it means is that there are no matric learners enrolled for the 2015 year-end examinations and no classes will be available for that grade going forward. All the lower grade learners have been compelled to redo their grades.  All the learners have lost a whole academic year and several schools have been gutted by fire.

The Northern Cape Government, in collaboration with mining companies in the area have engaged a service provider to construct the road, but this was not without its own problems. First the service provider is not from the John Taolo District and therefore started the project with his core employees who have always been in its employ. Now the argument has shifted from the road construction to the employment of local residents because the unemployment rate in the area is high and the project was expected to reduce unemployment levels. The Provincial Administration is once again expected to engage the Road Forum in a bid to resolve the situation.

What is lacking in this struggle, which in fact is directly linked to service delivery in the area, is political leadership. Although the leaders have an ANC background, they are not carrying out the activities under its banner. The surprising part is that the ANC has failed dismally to contain these protests and so has the Government, even though Ministers and highly placed ANC leaders were involved. There is a need to link all the struggles of the people in local communities with the broader struggle in the country.

This will ensure that people understand that the problems they are experiencing are the same as that of other oppressed people in other parts of the country. All progressives should come together, combine their efforts and break the tendency of localising struggles and confronting the might of the capitalists in isolation.

We as political activists should also take cognisance of the fact that service delivery protests in the country are a reflection that communities have been extremely patient and there has been a lack of accountability from the government.

Although the rights of the people are enshrined in the constitution of the country, these have been undermined. Parties participating in elections have a tendency to ignore the needs of the communities once they get elected to office.