Criminals run amok at school

In a recent spate of break-ins, cables have been at the top of the criminal’s agenda. Stolen items also included water pipes, taps and other scrap material. The thefts are a recurring issue that have heightened in recent weeks, with the school recording missing items on a daily basis. The thefts have interrupted teaching and learning and have forced the matric pupils to write their trial exams in darkness.
About a month ago, the school had to be closed for a few days as a result of stolen copper water pipes. Even though the school has opened a number of cases with the police, many of them are unresolved. The school urges scrap metal dealers in the area to help curb the crime spree. “We appeal to local scrap dealers to stop buying cables from unreliable sources because they are encouraging the thefts,” said deputy principal, Yugan Naidoo.
Equipment, estimated to be in the hundreds and thousands of rands, has been stolen from the school over the years. Plastic chairs also stolen from the school were recovered from businesses in the area and roof sheeting was recovered from a scrap dealer last year.
Once a fully functional trade school teaching up to 11 different skills, Clairwood Secondary School now only teaches three, namely mechanical, electrical and civil technologies. These workshops are maintained through government’s Recap Programme.
“We need urgent departmental intervention to revive technical education as there is a dire shortage of skills in the country to help boost the economy. If a pupil is trained, they will become economically self-reliant, which will directly improve the unemployment ratio,” said the deputy principal.