By Lulama kaSozathini
Icamagu News Reporter
EAST LONDON – Residents who were relocated from Duncan Village to New Life and Chicken Farm villages in Reeston near Mdantsane township as part of the government’s human settlements programme in 2002 say they continue to live under difficult conditions more than two decades later.
Community members have raised serious concerns about the lack of basic facilities in the area, particularly the absence of a local school for their children. As a temporary measure, learners from the settlements were placed at Funulwazi Primary School, several kilometres away. However, parents now say the situation has worsened due to the lack of scholar transport, leaving many children to walk long and dangerous distances to and from school.
Parents allege that repeated promises made by the Eastern Cape government to address the issue have not materialised. The Chairperson of the School Governing Body (SGB) at Funulwazi Primary School, Mr Simphiwe Mkile, expressed deep frustration over what he described as “empty promises” from the Eastern Cape Premier, Mr Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, and the Department of Education.
“We have been raising this issue for years. We are tired of meetings that do not bring solutions,” said Mkile. “Children are being placed at risk every single day because there is no reliable scholar transport. Government officials make commitments, but nothing changes on the ground.”
A meeting between community representatives and officials from the Office of the Premier was held on 06 February 2026, but residents say the engagement yielded no tangible outcomes. According to Mkile, no clear timelines or action plans were presented during the meeting.
The lack of scholar transport has sparked renewed fears following recent tragic incidents in the country where children lost their lives in road accidents while travelling to and from school. Community members warn that without immediate intervention, similar tragedies could occur in Reeston.
“It is extremely dangerous for young children to walk along busy roads, especially in the early mornings and late afternoons,” said one concerned parent. “We have already seen children dying on the roads in other areas. Are we waiting for a death here before government acts?”
Residents are calling on the provincial government to urgently provide safe and reliable scholar transport and to fast-track the construction of a school closer to the New Life and Chicken Farm communities.
At the time of publication, officials from the Eastern Cape Department of Education and the Office of the Premier, including Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, were not available for comment.
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