Cape Town - In spite of an increasing number of schools being provided with holiday security by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), it reported 48 incidents of burglary and/or vandalism affecting 42 schools during the December/January period.
Education MEC David Maynier said this was an increase on the 41 incidents affecting 34 schools reported during the same period last year.
Maynier said holiday security at 439 Western Cape schools did not deter criminals and that items stolen or damaged included bathroom fixtures and water piping, water pumps and meters, drain covers, fencing, windows and doors, computers, IT and audiovisual equipment and cabling, lights and electrical equipment, kitchen appliances and tools, bicycles, garden tools and consumables such as toilet paper and black bags.
“Even fencing, security guards and cameras were not enough to stop criminals from sabotaging our children’s education. The total cost of repairs and replacing stolen property is still being calculated. Arrests were made in relation to some of the incidents, and we will closely monitor the progress of these cases,” he said.
The department said that it would not be releasing the names or locations of the schools for security reasons. However, Maynier’s spokesperson, Kerry Mauchline, said that every district was affected and incidents were spread across the province.
Mauchline said repairs and replacement were still under way, making it difficult to ascertain the cost of the damages.
“Our Safe Schools co-ordinators work closely with schools to improve their security. We allocate our holiday security subsidies to schools at high risk, but warn that even security guards, high-security fencing, cameras and the like may not be enough to thwart dedicated criminals,” Mauchline said.
“The strongest deterrent is an involved community keeping an eye on their school during the holidays, and reporting any suspicious activity immediately.”
Education activist and former principal Brian Isaacs said South Africa was confronted with vandalism for various reasons.
“Poor communities are confronted with problems. People living on top of each other, in backyards and a high unemployment rate. Unless this is addressed, vandalism will continue.”
Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said security at schools remained a cause for concern as public school security was not beefed-up,
“On weekends and during holidays, you hardly find security personnel. Public schools in the main are a low-hanging fruit because even during protests by communities, they are unfortunately targeted.
“It’s becoming clear that the government alone will not be able to resolve these issues.”
Western Cape ANC Education spokesperson Khalid Sayed reiterated calls for all schools to have functioning alarm systems, CCTVs, and fencing.
Sayed said incidents of burglary and vandalism were reported after each and every school holiday.
“We have always called on the WCED to forge good working relations with surrounding school communities so that the people can take more ownership and responsibility for the schools... MECs have refused to heed these calls which makes the department complicit in these crimes.
“Moreover a number of our schools have broken fences, which makes them easy targets and accessible to thugs.”