Wedela Technical High School is in a terrible state due to ongoing theft and vandalism by illegal miners.

Although this school used to be one of the top performers in the area, its 2025 matric group obtained a pass rate of only 78% during the past examinations.

Concerned residents and parents complain that this is the result of the school being extensively damaged by illegal miners, but it has received no help from the Gauteng Department of Education to stop these problems.

“These problems have been going on for eight years now. This used to be one of the best schools with huge workshops and equipment that were sponsored by AngloGold Ashanti. Once the zama-zamas gained access to the terrain, everything changed,” says a concerned resident, Ayanda Tobo.

Not only do the zamas strip and steal the school’s equipment, but they also break windows and dig out electrical cables.

Most of the school has also been without water after these vandals damaged a water pipe.

All of the school’s approximately 1 400 learners, teachers, and other staff can now only get water from one tap connected to a water tank in front of the school.

Teachers and learners have to carry buckets of water to their ablution facilities if they want to flush toilets.

Residents say that both the Gauteng Department of Education and Merafong City Local Municipality have promised in the past to help the school with guards, but nothing came of it. So far, only patrollers from the Wedela CPF have come to help against the armed zama-zamas.

Wedela Technical School is the only high school in Wedela and one of only two technical schools in the Merafong City Local Municipality, the other being Hoërskool Wonderfontein in Carletonville.

Although the Herald contacted the Gauteng Department of Education’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, about the problems, no answers were received.