N Pandor: Handing over of torch of peace to J de Lange

20 April 2007

Thank you for such a warm welcome and thanks especially to the drum
majorettes.

Let me first of all express my sadness at the life that was lost at this
school. My condolences go to the Tlou family. My thoughts and prayers are with
you. I also feel for the Rabotho family because I am sure you are also trying
to understand what happened. I feel humbled by the presence of both families. I
am grateful to all of you who have supported the families in their pain.

It is appropriate that I hand over the torch of peace to the Deputy Minister
of Justice and Constitutional Development at Makhosini Combined. I received the
torch of peace from the Minister of Transport in January. It has since rotated
through all nine provinces, moving from school to school. In each province the
MEC for Education called upon parents and communities to reclaim our schools
from those determined to sew the seeds of violence and despair.

Today I light this torch as a symbol of the triumph of light over the
darkness of violence in schools. I light this torch also as a symbol of hope. I
light this torch as a call to action. I call on all communities to act to
ensure the safety of learners and educators in all schools.

All of us learners, parents, community leaders, teachers and police have a
responsibility to make our schools safe places. I especially call on parents to
inculcate positive values of respect, honesty and responsibility in their
children. We as parents need to instil these values in our children so that
they have respect for themselves and for others.

We all need to put our heads together to strengthen the relations between
schools, communities and our local South African Police Service (SAPS). All
schools should have safety committees. All schools should have simple and clear
codes of conduct.

I encourage all schools to participate in programmes like the Girls and Boys
Education Movement (GBEM). I call on the GEMS and the BEMS to be clubs of
achievers in all aspects of their lives. Belonging to GEM and BEM should be a
privilege because members do well in school, set good examples and know the
meaning of respect and dignity.

Let every learner say with pride, "I am my sister's or brother's
keeper."

Principal, teachers and parents of Makhosini Combined Secondary School you
will continue to receive support to overcome this tragedy. That support will
specifically be in the form of programmes that will teach your learners how to
handle conflict with assurance and understanding.

Deputy Minister de Lange, I have done justice to the torch when it was in my
custody. I encourage your Department to hold the torch with intent and to
ensure that perpetrators of violence in schools receive the punishment they
deserve.

I also encourage you to collaborate with my Department in designing better
safety programmes for our schools.

Issued by: Department of Education
20 April 2007