Calls mount for the re-opening of Joburg library

Literacy activist and author, Sam Mathe, says it’s concerning that black children continue to struggle to access quality learning material, 30 years into democracy.

His cries come as Johannesburg inner-city residents say they remain in the dark, about when their prized library will re-open.

Members of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation will take to the streets on Saturday, demanding the re-opening of the Joburg City Library, which was closed four years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impressive book and art collection is located in the heart of Johannesburg and houses more than 1.5 million books, as well as art and newspaper archive collections.

It’s also home to more than 140 computer workstations and free Wi-Fi.

Mathe says education has suffered, particularly for those children who used to come to library to do their homework or access valuable information.

“This is a basic service that is no longer accessible to them. This effects literacy levels and more importantly their results at the end of the school year, ” he told YNews.

The library closed its doors indefinitely in March 2021 after a preliminary report found it had major structural problems, including a leaking roof.

Speaking to YNews, Mathe criticised out-of-touch authorities for doing little to ensure that the library remains accessible.

“We feel the deprivation. This is a serious situation that we’re in, but it doesn’t look like the city authorities care, it’s like we have to accept it as a norm.” Written by Naomi Kobbie