Situated a few kilometres from the historic Elim Hospital in Limpopo is another historic building - Lemana College. Since the college first opened its doors on 8 January 1906, thousands of young minds have been shaped in the classrooms originally built by Swiss missionaries.
The list of well-known former scholars includes famous South Africans such as the late Prof Hudson Ntsanwisi, Judge GSS Maluleke and Prof Muxe Nkondo. It also includes the name of Dr Eduardo Mondlane, who was one of the founders of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) and its first president until his assassination in 1969.
For many, Lemana College was more than just a school. It was also the birthplace of Black Consciousness. It continued to produce the bright minds that helped push the country towards a true democracy for all of its people. In 1976, the pupils at Lemana joined the nationwide opposition to 'Bantu Education' and a hall was burnt down in protest.
When the historic buildings were declared a national monument in 1998, it was welcomed as a much-needed effort to preserve one of the country's most iconic educational institutions. The institution was renamed Lemana Community College and plans were afoot to restore the buildings and expand on its training programmes.
Sadly – 27 years later - the once-gracious buildings are still in a state of disrepair. This in spite of tens of millions of rands already splurged on seemingly incompetent or non-existent contractors, with very little to show. Differences in the minds of local communities as to what should happen with the project have marred any progress. More recently, rumours started circulating on social media that the local traditional leader was selling stands at the historic site.
The first R36.6 million splurge
Midway through 2013, after a consultation period with local communities and heritage specialists, the project to resurrect the college commenced. On 15 August 2013, the office of then-President Jacob Zuma officially handed over the project to the Njhakanjhaka Traditional Council, tasked with representing the local community.
The project was carried out in consultation with the Limpopo Provincial Government, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Education, and the TALEMA committee. Work began on 13 September 2013, with an initial completion date set for 16 December 2016. However, the deadline was missed.
The R36.58 million contract was awarded by the Limpopo Department of Education to Bankuna Construction and Engineering. The company has only one registered director, Mzamani Jerry Nkuna, with a registered address of Kibler Park, Gauteng.
For the first six months work progressed, but then the contractor failed to turn up on site. Bankuna was finally dismissed on 15 May 2017 with "poor performance" provided as reason.
Nkuna was the sole director in two companies with similar names. One was liquidated at the end of 2018. People close to the project, who did not want to be named, said that the work completed could not have cost more than R4 million. The Education Department later stated that the work done had amounted to R14.78 million. It was never revealed whether the department was able to retrieve any of the R36.58 million.
Another R30.13 million thrown in
In June 2018, a new contractor, Lilithalethu Trading 41, was appointed. The estimated cost to finish the project was R30.13 million and the new completion date was set for 12 June 2018.
The scope of work included building new facilities such as classrooms, toilet blocks, an administration block, nutrition centres, and a gathering hall, as well as renovating existing facilities and upgrading the road and parking area.
This time around, the progress was halted by community unrest. On 23 August 2019, local community members marched to the college, demanding that local labourers and sub-contractors who had worked for Bankuna Engineering and Construction be paid. The site was finally closed in September 2019.
Even a stakeholders meeting held on 17 May 2021 at the Njhakanjhaka Traditional Council did not take things forward. The meeting resolved that the contractor could return to the site and the community needed to write a letter confirming that the work on site would not be interrupted. The project was scheduled to start on 28 September 2021, with an expected completion date of 28 March 2023.
This, however, did not happen and construction work stopped.
Lehlogonolo Silas Ledwaba, a representative from Lilithalethu Trading 41, told Limpopo Mirror that the site had been closed by mutual agreement, because of the disruptions. "We don't owe any labourers from our contract," he said.
Different plans – but no action
In 2023, in response to the ongoing vandalism and neglect of the historic site, a group of 60 residents launched the Ahiti Pfuxeni Project to prevent further damage and preserve the college's heritage. However, the initiative was later discontinued.
Any progress was also hindered by the differences in opinion as to what should happen with the buildings. Originally, it was planned that a high school be accommodated, but some community members felt that a TVET College would be more appropriate.
A meeting between representatives of various departments and the community took place on 20 February 2024, with further engagements planned to resolve the issue. More than a year later, very little seems to have come from these sessions.
Department of Education spokesperson Mike Maringa confirmed that the community wants the infrastructure converted into a TVET college. "We cannot move forward until they finalise the matter with DHET [Department of Higher Education and Training], so that we can decide on the way forward. We have security on site to guard the building," he said.
Limpopo Public Works media liaison officer Emmanuel Mongwe referred inquiries to the national department. "The matter you are enquiring about is a National Department matter," he said.
James de Villiers, spokesperson for Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson, clarified that they were not involved in provincial government matters. "I therefore have no power to intervene on who should respond and who shouldn't. That is fully their responsibility" he said.
Overgrown bushes and stolen fences
A recent visit by Limpopo Mirror to the site, accompanied by members of the traditional authority, showed no progress. Overgrown bushes and stolen fences, including the electric cables, highlighted the state of neglect. Despite a security company's being assigned to safeguard the site, the facility remains vulnerable to further vandalism.
Local youth and community leaders are now calling on the government to provide answers and expedite the project.
"I'm really upset, like many other young people, about how this project has been handled," said Rudzani Ndou, one of the young residents. "Millions were allocated to the project, but it's still not complete. It should have been finished by now, giving us the opportunity to gain skills and improve our chances of finding work," he said.
Local activist Selby Khosa described the delay as a symbol of neglect. He stressed that the college, once a beacon of hope for the youth to gain skills and break the cycle of poverty, now represents missed opportunities. "The delay means lost futures for young people," Khosa said. "Every day this project stalls, is another day our community is denied progress."
For the past decade, the Lemana Task Team has been working on the renovation alongside the traditional council. Sukani Makondo, a member of the team, voiced his frustration over the lack of progress. "We have been waiting for over a decade, yet there is no clear indication of when the renovations will be completed," he said. "This college is a symbol of education and empowerment, and its neglect is an injustice to future generations."
Makondo also criticised past short-skills programmes, saying they only benefited service providers and not the community. "How do you produce a qualified electrician in just three months?" he asked.
Makondo said they had been instructed to prepare a report for a meeting on 30 March. The members of the task team were, however, informed by the traditional leader that they had been dismissed and would no longer update the council.
He added that the team realised they might have made a mistake by not involving the youth. "We engaged [the] youth in Waterval, Mpheni, and Elim and held a meeting at Waterval Community Hall last week. The task team maintains that they were selected by the community, not the tribal council, and that the community should decide the college's future," he said.
Mawisa Mabasa, deputy chairperson of the traditional council, denied the claims of selling stands at the site. He explained that they had met with all the stakeholders three years ago at the tribal office. "We informed them that the facility, which was in the process of being renovated, should be a TVET, not a high school. We want to first introduce a short-skills course, and later, it will become a full-time TVET," he said.