With just over a week before the start of the new school year on the 17th, 31-thousand Grade One and Eight applicants are yet to be placed in Gauteng schools. They include 14-thousand late applicants from a group of 22-thousand. The other 17-thousand applied on time, but have not accepted placement offers at their second or third choices because their first choice schools were full. Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi revealed this as he briefed the media on his department's readiness for the new school school year in Johannesburg (Sunday). Wisani Makhubele reports.