Johannesburg. The Gauteng Department of Education has condemned the deliberate burning of school furniture at Eastbank High School in Alexandra, an act officials say worsened already severe shortages and disrupted lessons on Tuesday.
Spokesperson Onwabile Lubhelwana told the department that investigators found four desks and two chairs had been destroyed by fire on the school premises. A case of malicious damage was opened at the Alexandra Police Station.
Pressure cooker classroom
The department used the incident to underscore the wider capacity challenges at Eastbank High. According to Lubhelwana the school was constructed to host about 1 200 learners but currently accommodates 2 063 learners, creating an acute strain on seating and classroom resources.
Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, expressed dismay and reminded the public that every piece of furniture counts in underresourced schools. He said:
“There is absolutely no excuse for burning education infrastructure, learning materials or furniture. We cannot complain about shortages today and destroy the very same scarce resources tomorrow.”
Maile stressed that destroying items — even a small number — has an outsize effect in a school already operating beyond capacity.
What the numbers show
The department provided specific figures that illustrate the shortfall and recent deliveries. Despite some furniture arriving earlier this year, the school still faces a major deficit in both desks and chairs.
| Item | Needed | Delivered this year | Net shortfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desks | ~1 200 | 150 | ~1 050 |
| Chairs | ~600 | 1 000 | 0* |
*The department's figures indicate 1 000 chairs and 150 desks were delivered this year. The overall shortfall quoted by officials remains approximately 1 200 desks and 600 chairs, reflecting persistent resourcing gaps across the school.
Effects on teaching and learners
Officials said teaching was disrupted when the incident occurred. The department also acknowledged media reports that some furniture had been used as fuel for heat where classroom windows were broken, a claim Lubhelwana said the department had noted and was probing.
- Four desks and two chairs destroyed by fire on the school grounds;
- A case of malicious damage opened at Alexandra Police Station;
- School capacity 1 200 learners vs current enrolment of 2 063.
Maile called the cycle of destroying and replacing resources “unsustainable” and said government would have to replace the burnt items so learners did not lose access to scarce materials. He warned that loss of furniture means fewer learners can be seated and taught effectively.
Broader context
Eastbank High's situation reflects pressures in some Gauteng schools where rapid enrolment growth, ageing buildings and limited budgets intersect. The department highlighted that the school's furniture deficit is one visible symptom of those wider problems.
For now the matter is with the SAPS in Alexandra while the education department continues to assess the immediate needs and arrange replacements. Officials did not provide a timeline for the arrival of additional desks and chairs beyond the deliveries already recorded earlier in the year.
Community leaders and parents in Alexandra have in the past urged faster repairs and better maintenance of school infrastructure to prevent situations where learners are exposed to cold classrooms or have to share seating. The department said it remains committed to resolving the shortages but warned resources are limited and must be protected.
Reporting on incidents like this matters because when infrastructure disappears, so too does class time and dignity for learners who already contend with overcrowded classrooms. The police case will establish whether criminal charges follow and whether those responsible can be held to account.
