Late shopping bonanza for school outlets

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Credit: Maggie Smith

Mark Kingon of Kingon's Family Fashion Centre in Cambridge said they were very busy with parents buying a variety of school clothing.

“We have been quite busy over the past couple of days and parents are buying smaller items now (like socks),” Kingon said.

The owner of Strand Outfitters, Peter Hunter, said the store had been a “mad-house” in the last few days leading to the opening of schools.

“We did not anticipate so many people to still be doing their school shopping at such a late stage but we are pleased.

“Parents are buying both summer and winter uniforms, but they are buying bigger sizes for the winter uniforms,” he added.

City Stationers' sales clerk Nadine Blom said they had also been busy since early on Monday.

“We are expecting next Saturday to be hectic because some schools only give out their stationery lists once they open,” said Blom.

Schools say that they are ready for the new school year.

Greenpoint High School's acting principal Garth Carelse said the school had all their necessary textbooks and stationery.

“We are 80% ready for the new school year and we are expecting 1,058 learners to return to the school, with about 100 on our waiting list,” Carelse said.

St Patrick's School's principal Sithabiso Hlophe said they were also ready for the year.

Meanwhile, school stationery will be delivered to schools as scheduled this week after a court application by C'est Magnifique 616, trading as Kuhle Stationers, to interdict the supply and delivery of stationery for Grade R to Grade 12 public schools in the Eastern Cape was postponed to 18 March.

Kuhle Stationers, led by Sipho Leve, brought the application, which alleged corruption in the awarding of a R70 million tender by the provincial Department of Education.

According to State attorney Strydom Pretorious, the postponement came after an application by Leve for Judge Themba Sangoni to recuse himself was dismissed with costs.

Meanwhile, provincial Education spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said all stationery should have been in district warehouses by Friday.

Source: Daily Dispatch

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