Speaker, a mob stoning by learners resulted in the deaths of two members of a gang of teenage robbers at Zwelihle Secondary School in Umlazi, U Section, last Friday. The gang entered the school premises and robbed pupils in their classrooms. In response to the attack, learners took the law into their own hands and embarked on a revenge attack. They chased the robbers to the township where two of the robbers were stoned to death.
In a separate incident two learners were stabbed to death just outside their schools in Auckland Park and Cape Town.
Despite the Department of Education's employing security personnel on school premises, it appears that they are not fit to provide the security required. In addition, although these security personnel might be visible during the day, there is no security at night, resulting in break-ins at and the vandalism of school premises.
In one school in Umlazi, where computers were stolen, the computers were subsequently found in the house of one of the teachers!
It is clear that the levels of crime and violence at schools, which are supposed to be havens of safety and learning, are totally out of control. The IFP calls on government to do more to ensure the safety of our children and our schools. I thank you.