VIDEO: Theft of equipment cripples east school
The burglary took place at a local school after the members of the CPF left their posts for drinks at a nearby tavern.
Poor security measures at schools in Mamelodi East came under the spotlight again when thieves stole goods worth more than R120 000 from a primary school in the area at the weekend.
The Legora Primary School was robbed of a photocopying machine, four refrigerators, large cooking pots, microwave ovens, laptops and stationery in the early hours of Saturday.
The school’s principal, Mohlamme Mathebe, has now accused the volunteer CPF members – who were supposed to be guarding the school at the time – of not being at their post when the burglars struck.
The guards were out for a drink at a nearby tavern, he alleged.
According to Mathebe, the thieves “had all the time in the world” to force a safe door open with crowbars and make off with the stolen goods.
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All because the guards left the school unattended at around 02:00, he said.
The guards were supposed to be on duty until 06:00 on Saturday morning and he was informed around 10:00 by a general worker.
Mamelodi East CPF chairperson Eddie Mnguni, however, denied Mathebe’s version of events.
Mnguni claimed that the volunteer guards heard a gunshot and people calling them by their names and fled the school premises, leaving it unattended, at around 03:00.
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He said two patrollers at the same school were attacked and robbed of their cellphones before being tied up with wires in a previous incident last month.
In that incident, a patroller managed to escape and get help from a patroller who lived nearby.
The two guards, who were alleged to have gone to the tavern, have since been dismissed “because they did not call the police”, said Mnguni.
“Their behaviour was cowardly and suspicious,” he said.
Mamelodi East police spokesperson Captain Michael Mbewe confirmed a case of business burglary. No arrests have been made and the police were still investigating.
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