School for autistic children faces closure

The Centre for Autism Research and Education which occupies two properties on Bompas Road, may be forced to relocate, creating a nightmare for the parents of the children in its care. Schools catering for autistic children are few and far between in Joburg, making the centre a gem for affected parents.

Dr Rakhee Singh’s six-year-old son has been a pupil at the school since it opened in 2011. Since starting at the school, her son’s development has been vast, a fact which Singh attributes to the unique care provided by the school.

A legal battle between the centre and a neighbour has resulted in an interdict which will force the school to relocate, as the school is currently incorrectly zoned.

“When they [the centre] relocated to Dunkeld in 2012, they believed that business rights were sufficient,” said Singh. “They soon learned that they required Place of Instruction rights as well, and applied for those in 2012.

“The process has been drawn out by postponement after postponement. Just as we thought we were about to get the zoning sorted out, the neighbour applied for, and was granted, the interdict to have the school removed.”

Cathy Nader, another parent at the school explained that the Place of Instruction rights had, since the interdict, been granted by the City of Joburg for one of the two properties, but that the second was still in progress.

According to Nader, the neighbour further suggested that the centre should also have Medical Suite Rights because of the therapy provided to the children.

“The City of Joburg rejected this, stating that the medical practices are ancillary to the school and not available to the public,” said Nader.

The closure of the school’s current premises might severely affect the development of the pupils, even causing them to regress. “Autistic children do not cope well with change. This will not be the end of the school, but it will not be good for the pupils involved,” said Singh.

Singh believes that the judge in the High Court matter showed a lack of understanding of autism when she handed down the interdict. “In her judgement, she said that ‘no centre of its nature should be established in Dunkeld.’

Autism affects one in 68 boys and one in 108 girls. These children have the right to an education, as well as the opportunity to become functional members of society.”

She added that the centre made a massive difference in this regard and was needed in the community.

Should the zoning issues not be resolved, the school will be forced to find new premises, which will be a huge task, given the long list of necessary requirements. It remains unclear at this stage what the neighbour’s gripe with the school is, and despite requests from this publication for comment, none was forthcoming by the time of going to print. Nader believes that the community is not fully aware of the issue at hand.