The number of incidents of burglary and vandalism which occurred at Western Cape schools over the 2025/26 summer school holiday has decreased significantly, with 36 incidents reported by 32 schools. This is a marked decrease compared to the 47 incidents reported by 34 schools during the 2024/25 summer holidays, demonstrating more effective target hardening and monitoring of school properties.
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PICTURE: PixabayThe Western Cape Education Department (WCED) subsidised
holiday security at 441 schools to protect school properties and have worked
closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and law enforcement to
increase vigilance around its schools.
‘’Nevertheless, this is still 36 incidents too many. Items
stolen or damaged during this period range from fencing, electrical cables and
plumbing fixtures to kitchen equipment and food for learners. In one
particularly alarming incident, over 100 windows at a school were deliberately damaged
– a act of senseless criminality.,’’ said David Maynier, Western Cape Education
MEC.
‘’Every single item that is damaged or stolen must be
replaced, which diverts funding from the core task of educating our learners so
that they can so that get a job or study further when they leave school. Stealing
from a school is stealing from a child’s future,’’ he added.
Maynier urged the public to keep a close eye on their
neighbourhood schools and to report any suspicious activity to SAPS or its Safe
Schools hotline (0800 45 46 47) immediately.
‘’If you have any information about the incidents that
occurred over the school holidays, please speak up. You may hold the key piece
of information that will allow SAPS to arrest the perpetrators and recover our
schools’ stolen properly!,’’ said the MEC.
Done by: Mitchum George
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