Criminals strip Kwa-Thema schools of valuables
The school principal, Pearl More, said they had experienced so many break-ins over the years that it had become second nature to them.
Kwa-Thema – Sechaba Primary School has been brought to its knees because of a series of burglaries in recent months.
Since May, when the community was left in the dark after the Kwa-Thema main substation burnt down, they lost count of the number of times it was burgled.
The school was stripped of electricity cables, chairs, steel piping, bathroom taps and toilet seats.
Criminals continued to steal toilet paper, and a group of residents vandalised the school’s security fence to access the water tanker.
They also stole the wooden blocks and tyres used to build the jungle gym for the Grade R learners.
The school principal, Pearl More, said they had experienced so many break-ins over the years that it had become second nature to them.
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“This school is 58 years old. It needs refurbishing, but with every project we introduce, criminals vandalise it.
“We receive a R54 000 budget annually meant to improve the school infrastructure, but we are always fixing the damages,” she added.
More said the school had security guards who only worked during the day.
“We rely on the community patrollers, but they refuse to work overnight.
“We also have private security, ADT and alarms to alert us if there is a break-in, but the criminals still gain access to the school grounds,” she explained.
Ekurhuleni East District director Somikazi Chabalala condemned the vandalism of school facilities.
“Sadly, our schools are vandalised. Even when we try to improve the school facilities, criminals continue stripping them.
“The community knows them. We buy the stolen goods but fail to report them to the police,” More added.
The director said they need the community’s support and that of community policing forums and other organisations to help safeguard our schools.
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