Diepsloot school patrollers face growing danger on duty
School patrollers say learner violence is becoming increasingly alarming after a patroller was allegedly threatened and another was injured while carrying out their duties.
School patrollers in Diepsloot said they are facing increasing danger while carrying out their duties.
They said one patroller was allegedly threatened by a learner and another was punched.
The patrollers, who claim they have been working for months without pay, said protecting learners has become more difficult as violent behaviour among them continues to escalate.
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One of the latest incidents involved school patroller Girly Mathye, who intervened when two boys at a local primary school became involved in a physical fight.
While trying to separate the learners, one of the boys allegedly punched her, causing her glasses to fall to the ground.
The learners were eventually separated, but according to Mathye, the conflict continued after school.
“One of the boys later attempted to stab the other with a pair of scissors. I’m talking about primary school kids here in Grades 6 and 7.” even more concerning when one of the learners allegedly came to her home.
She said her son recognised the learner’s school uniform and informed her that a learner was standing outside.
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“I was surprised to see him at my place. He asked my son to tell me that ‘Ketlo nyela’ (I’ll find you). Imagine being threatened by a kid the same age as my lastborn.”
In a separate incident, school patroller Ntabiseng Nthama, who works at a local high school, sustained a leg injury while trying to stop learners from running through the corridors.
She said one learner nearly fell before colliding with her leg while trying to regain balance, leaving her injured while carrying out her responsibilities.
“ My leg is even swollen right now. These kids are really out of order, and we are putting our lives at risk each day.”
Despite the challenges, the patrollers continue reporting for duty, saying they remain committed to protecting children and hoping they will receive their full stipend.
However, they hope the growing violence among learners will be addressed before someone is seriously harmed.
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