With the increasing violence in schools, Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe says law enforcement operations must be enhanced in schools.
This comes after one recent incident where a 17 year old pupil from Gedlembane Secondary School was allegedly stabbed to death after an argument with a fellow learner. The suspect was arrested and he appeared before the Kabokweni Magistrate Court on Monday, 16 February 2015 and was remanded in custody.
MEC Shongwe said that the department together with SAPS and the Department of Education run a programme called School Safety that ensures that schools are safe. “We always receive a lot of complaints from schools that there are learners who are at schools to cause violence and abuse other learners instead of studying. We cannot allow hooligans in our schools, any act of violence will not be tolerated. Law enforcement operations will be the order of the day until we flush out those learners who perpetrate violence towards other learners and our teachers,” says Shongwe.
On Tuesday, the department with SAPS raided three senior secondary schools [Mayibuye Secondary School, Gedlembane Secondary School and EJ Sengwayo Secondary School] in Pienaar Township outside Mbombela which are considered to be the most problematic.
Among others, five knives, three bags matchboxes of dagga, cell phones, gambling cards were confiscated from learners during the raids. Two learners were taken to police custody for being in possession of dagga and knives. They were later released after confessing to the police where they found the dagga.
Yesterday [19 February 2015], there was another operation conducted in Sitintile Secondary School in KaNyamazane. Two matchboxes of dagga, gambling cards and cellphones were confiscated. Two learners were also taken to KaNyamazane Police Station for questioning for the dagga they were found with and later released.
These operations started last week in Nkomazi Municipality where Lovunyo Secondary School, Soshangaan Secondary School, Mdzili Secondary School, Sidlamafa Secondary School, MJ Mahlangu Secondary School and Mjokwane Secondary School were raided unannounced.
Nine matchboxes of dagga and cell phones were confiscated in these schools. Another bag of dagga was recovered and confiscated in a tavern next to MJ Mahlangu Secondary School. The owner of the tavern was arrested.
MEC Vusi Shongwe said the department together with police are working very hard to ensure that school safety is maintained at all schools and that they will not rest until they are satisfied that schools are crime free and safe.
He further instructs that police must investigate and arrest the people who sell dagga to learners. He also calls on learners to come forward to police with any information that may lead to the arrest of the owners of dagga markets.
These operations will continue to run even in other schools all over the province.
Enquiries:
Joseph Mabuza
Tel: 013 766 4055
Cell: 082 678 1450
E-mail: emabuza@mpg.gov.za
