The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has seen an increase in the number of schools burgled and vandalised during the winter holidays, despite more security subsidised to 424 schools.
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PICTURE: PixabayAccording to the department, 57 incidents of burglary and
vandalism at 46 schools were reported during the June/July holiday period. This
is a significant increase from the same period last year, when 45 incidents
affecting 39 schools were reported.
Items stolen or damaged include building fixtures and
fencing, electrical wiring, food and cooking facilities for school meals,
sports equipment, computers and other electrical equipment, plumbing features,
and a variety of school consumables.
MEC David Maynier says the estimated cost of repairing or
replacing damaged and stolen items is over R1 million.
‘’Which is unacceptable in the difficult financial
circumstances the sector currently faces. Funding will now have to be diverted
from educational activities because of the selfish actions of criminals. Keeping
our schools safe requires the support of our school communities, and quick
reporting can make all the difference in apprehending perpetrators and
retrieving stolen goods. We appeal to the public to keep a close eye on their
local schools and to report any suspicious activity to the South African Police
Services (SAPS) immediately.’’
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC, Anroux Marais,
has also expressed concern over the increase in criminal activity, saying:
“Stealing from our schools is stealing from our children,
and we urge any member of the public with information about these crimes to
come forward immediately. We further urge SAPS to prioritise investigation of
crimes in and around our schools, so that together we can keep our school
properties safe.”
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