School turns to authorities for assistance
The Tshwane metro police will conduct regular follow-up operations at the Iona Convent in Capital Park after pupils complained about harassment by vagrants.
Parents who drop off their children at the Iona Convent in Capital Park have to walk over human faeces if they want to gain entry onto school property.
A sudden influx of belligerent vagrants harassing pupils and staff at the Iona Covent in Capital Park, has now forced school authorities to call for official intervention.
Male and female vagrants not only display aggressive behaviour towards pupils and staff, but suggest sexual requests.
Janet Beckworth, principal of the Iona Convent primary school, said some of the vagrants use school gates as bathroom facilities. “Parents have to walk over human faeces when they drop off their children at school. Some of the male vagrants even harass our pupils,” she said.
She said the convent has tried all the correct channels to improve the situation but they have come to a dead-end street. “We do not know who to turn to or who to ask for help,” she said.
Elsie Senekal, a teacher, said four men chased one of their pupils asking her to kiss them. “Another pupil even had her cellphone stolen in Flower Street. This is getting out of control and we need the proper authorities to intervene,” she said.
Elma Nel, Democratic Alliance councillor, said she has taken the matter up with relevant authorities. “Employees from Solid Waste do clean-up every three weeks but we need to find a viable solution to permanently prevent the problems that the convent experiences,” she said.
She said there were shelters in Johannes Ramokhoase Street and Struben Street that could provide adequate sanctuary if they wanted to get off the streets.
Metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said they conducted an operation near the convent on Monday morning and removed 14 vagrants who were harassing the pupils.
He said they will arrange with the metro waste removal department to clean-up regularly. “The metro police will monitor the situation and conduct regular follow-up operations,” he said.
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