The name Mantshwabisi has become synonymous with fun lovers - particularly motoring sport fanatics. Just two weeks ago Mantshwabisi was on everyone's lips throughout the country, as the popular 1,000km Toyota Desert Race was held for the last time in Kumakwane Village. Despite the race being held in Kumakwane its fans continue to refer to it as Mantshwabisi.However, Mantshwabisi Village came into the news for a completely different reason this week when more than 10 primary school pupils left the school to spend vacation with their parents. The pupils, who come from afar and are boarders, at the local primary school, and were denied permission to go home for the the end of term holidays which began last Friday.
The normally placid village is just 20 kilometres west of the Thebephatshwa Airbase in the Letlhakeng area. Upon arrival in the village, the Mmegi news-team was met by a totally different form of race. It was that of primary students running away from any approaching vehicle, which they took for an "enemy vehicle". They do not want to see any vehicle, as they fear that the occupants could be looking for them, to haul them back to the school hostels.A bystander who requested anonymity explained that the pupils are fighting for freedom to visit their parents 10s of kilometres away. They are being kept in the school hostels against their will, although their peers in other schools have gone home for the school holidays.. The bystander alleged that the students are totally against being kept in the hostels, and it is even worse because their "detention" was not communicated to all the parents.She further alleged that some furious parents came to the school last Saturday and forcibly took their children with them. Upon seeing their friends leaving with their parents, the remaining students have not rested and they keep jumping the fence in an attempt to go home.
