While the country was celebrating Christmas, burglars broke into Kwabhekilanga Secondary School and stole about R155 000 worth of important equipment and cash.
According to the distraught deputy principal, Sehlano Makwela the break-in, which was the third last year, happened between 2am and 5.30am on 26 December. Eleven laptops, five desktops, four data projectors and R6 000 in cash were stolen.
“One of the other incidents happened at almost the same time the previous year after burglars had disarmed the security system,” he said, adding that the recent theft had happened even though items were stored in a strongroom.
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The thieves gained entry by breaking through burglar bars and a door in Makwela’s office, past the principal’s office, where nothing was taken, and into the admin office where they forcibly opened the strongroom door.
Makwela was concerned that, despite all the incidents being reported and camera footage of one of the previous incidents being given to police, no arrests had been made. He was also curious about how the burglars had managed to walk through the yards of neighbouring houses undetected.
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“Also, the noise from the grinder should have attracted some attention. The school is a community asset from which some of the residents steal when they should be securing it for their own and the children’s future and development,” he said.
The laptops, which were used for smartboard classes, had been donated by the provincial education department and some were bought by the School Governing Body. They were still assessing whether other items were missing. “Burglars act with impunity and should be stopped in the interests of our children’s education,” he said.
Police are investigating.
Details: Kwabhekilanga Secondary School 011 882 0724.
